Royal Court Theatre announces three new productions for 2023

The Royal Court Theatre has announced a trio of new works for its 2023 season.

First up is Imposter 22 by Molly Davies (God Bless the Child, A Miracle), running in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs from 23 September – 14 October.

Royal Court collaborates with Access All Areas on the new production which will be created with the sensory needs of neurodivergent audience members in mind and all performances will be relaxed.
Imposter 22 is a co-creation with seven learning disabled and autistic artists, who also perform in the piece, from an original idea by neurodivergent Royal Court Associate Director Hamish Pirie (Teh Internet is Serious Business, Violence and Son). The whodunnit caper has been collectively created, inspired by the lived experiences and imagination of the group.

The cast and co-creators – Kirsty Adams, Cian Binchy, Housni Hassan (DJ), Dayo Koleosho, Stephanie Newman, Lee Phillips and Charlene Salter, have developed the piece over the last five years during a workshop process with director Pirie and writer Davies. The production marks a new partnership between Access All Areas and the Royal Court and is a playful account of barrier navigation and the politics of neurodiversity.

Next up is Mohamed-Zain Dada’s debut, Blue Mist in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs from 5 October – 18 November. Set in the shisha lounges of North West London, the piece follows a journalist who sells out his own community, in a candid riposte to the portrayal of South Asian Muslim men in the media.

Finally, Mates in Chelsea (Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, 3 November – 16 December) by Rory Mullarkey (Pity, The Wolf From The Door), directed by Royal Court Associate Director Sam Pritchard (all of it, Pity) is a contemporary comedy of manners, inspired by Wilde and Wodehouse and set among the dwellers of south west London who remain our country’s ruling class. The show will run in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs from Friday 3 November – Saturday 16 December 2023, with Press Night on Thursday 9 November 2023.

The three new plays join the previously announced season line up, which includes a Broadway transfer of Dana H.

For more information and tickets, visit royalcourttheatre.com

Vicky Featherstone, Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre, said: “The writers in our new programme are unified in their desire to take aim at preconceptions, stereotypes, and centres of power. Their words dismantle our understanding of the world, inviting new meanings and a stronger empathy for the communities we live in and among. In the same breath, the work is playful, dynamic, and highly imaginative.

“In these times we are doing everything we can to keep our work accessible, affordable and vital. Over the next six months, we are responding to audience feedback and trailing a new ticketing initiative. Our tickets that are £25 and below sell very quickly but once they are gone, we know that many of the people who buy those tickets can then not afford to see the work, and it’s essential that we continue to welcome everyone who wants to come to the theatre into the space and reduce the barrier that price presents. The hope is that the initiative will allow more people to see more performances at more affordable prices.

“It’s a privilege to present my final programme of work as Artistic Director of this extraordinary theatre. Very soon a new visionary will be in place and I’m sure, under their guardianship, the Court will continue to inspire, invigorate and provoke writers, theatre-makers and audiences alike.”