Rakie Ayola to star in Mom, How Did You Meet The Beatles? at Chichester Festival Theatre

Rakie Ayola is to star in the UK premiere of Mom, How Did You Meet The Beatles? at Chichester Festival Theatre.

Diyan Zora directs Adrienne Kennedy and Adam P. Kennedy’s piece which runs from 16 June – 8 July at the Minerva Theatre.

Rakie Ayola, who won a BAFTA Best Supporting Actress Award in 2021 for her role in TV drama Anthony, will make her Chichester debut in the autobiographical play.

Playwright Adrienne Kennedy impulsively leaves New York for London with her young son, intent on adapting John Lennon’s book ‘In His Own Write’ for the stage.

In the heady atmosphere of the Swinging ‘60s, she finds herself rubbing shoulders with a dizzying array of celebrities, including all four Beatles. And when her idols, Laurence Olivier – director of the National Theatre – and his influential literary manager Kenneth Tynan, along with actor Victor Spinetti, promise to produce her play, it seems like a dream come true. But slowly the stars seem to align in a different way.

Performances will be followed by a specially produced film exploring the background to Adrienne Kennedy, her play and its influences and impact, including an interview with Adam P. Kennedy.

The production will be designed by Anisha Fields, with lighting design by Joshua Gadsby, sound design by George Dennis and video design by Hayley Egan; the casting director is Lotte Hines CDG.

For more information and tickets, visit cft.org.uk