Indhu Rubasingham will direct Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize winning Ruined, previewing at the Almeida from 15 April, with press night on 22 April and booking until 5 June 2010. Designs are by Robert Jones with lighting by OIiver Fenwick, original music by Dominic Kanza and sound by Christopher Shutt.
Joining the previously announced
Jenny Jules (Mama) and Lucian Msamati (Christian) are
Damola Adelaja (Simon), David Ajala (Fortune), Michelle Asante (Salima), Silas Carson (Mr Harari), Kehinde Fadipe (Josephine),
Joel Kangudi (Soldier/Laurent),
Okezie Morro (Jerome Kisembe),
Wunmi Mosaku (Sophie) and
Steve Toussaint (Commander Osembenga).
A small mining town deep in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Mama Nadi's bar her rules apply. No arguments, no politics, no guns. When two new girls tainted with the stigma of their recent past arrive, Mama is forced to reassess her business priorities and personal loyalties. As tales of local atrocities spread and tensions between rebels and government militia rise, the realities of life in civil war provide the ultimate test of the human spirit.
Ruined, commissioned by the
Goodman Theatre Chicago, received its World Premiere in their co-production with the
Manhattan Theatre Club last year and was, in addition to the Pulitzer, the recipient of seven Best Play Awards (including the New York Critics' Circle Award), two Drama Desk Awards and four OBIE Awards.
Damola Adelaja has previously been seen on stage in Raisin in the Sun at the Royal Exchange Theatre and Dreams Come out to Play for Birmingham Rep. On film he has been seen in Rag Tag.
David Ajala's previous theatre credits include Nation and Death and the King Horseman both for the
National Theatre, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Love's Labours Lost for the
Royal Shakespeare Company and The Swing of Things for the
Stephen Joseph Theatre. His television credits include Dr Who, Dream Team and The Bill and on film his credits include Adulthood, The Dark Knight and Following Footsteps.
Michelle Asante's theatre credits include Torn at the Arcola Theatre, Dirty Butterfly at the Young Vic and Two Hundred Years at Watford Palace Theatre. Her television credits include Law and Order, The Bill and Harley Street. On film her credits London Boulevard and Heat.
Silas Carson's theatre credits include Banquo in Macbeth at the Almeida, Arabian Nights for the
Royal Shakespeare Company, Baghdad Wedding for Soho Theatre and Much Ado About Nothing for Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. Previously
Indhu Rubasingham directed him in Shakuntala for the
Gate Theatre and A Doll's House for the Young Vic. His television credits include Waterloo Road, Bonekickers and Outnumbered. His film credits include Pimp, Boogie Wonderland and Franklyn.
Kehinde Fadipe's theatre credits are Ma Kelly Goes to the Games for the
Attic Theatre and Hurried Steps at the Finborough.
Jenny Jules returns to the Almeida having previously performed in
Michael Attenborough's productions of The Homecoming and Big White Fog. She has also worked extensively for the
Tricycle Theatre in productions including Fabulation, Gem of the Ocean, Walk Hard, The Colour of Justice and The Great White Hope. Her film work includes A Short Stay in Switzerland, Octane, Up ‘N' Under and Spiders and Flies. On television she has been seen in Vexed, Casualty, Judge John Deed, Golden Hour and A Respectable Trade.
Joel Kangudi's stage credits are Un Ballo at the Royal Opera House and most recently he played the Police Sergeant in the Making of Moo at The Orange Tree.
Okezie Morro has previously been seen on stage at the Arcola Theatre in Innocence. His television credits are Blacebo and The Bill and on film he has been seen in Gulliver's Travels and Red Tails.
Wunmi Mosaku's theatre credits include Katrina at the Bargehouse, Mules for the Young Vic, Rough Crossing for Headlong and The Vertical Hour at the Royal Court. Her television credits include Vera, Moses Jones and Father and Son. Her film credits are The Nuban Project, Honeymooner and Womb.
Lucian Msamati's theatre credits include Sipho in the Almeida's production of
Antony Sher's I.D., Death and The Kings Horseman, President of an Empty Room and Mourning Becomes Electra for the
National Theatre, Pericles for the
Royal Shakespeare Company and Walk Hard, Fabulation and Gem Of The Ocean for the Tricycle. His television credits include No.1 Ladies Detective Agency, Spooks, Just Like Ronaldinho, Ultimate Force, Heads and Tales. His film work includes The International, Coffin, Legend of the Sky, Kingdom, and Lummumba.
Steve Toussaint's theatre credits include Hapgood for Birmingham Rep, Fix Up for the
National Theatre, Urban Afro-Saxon's for Talawa Theatre and No Boys Cricket Club, directed by
Indhu Rubasingham for the Theatre Royal Stratford East. His television credits include Doctors, Skins, New Tricks and Silent Witness and on film his credits include The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Times, Flight of Fury and Shooting Dogs.
Brooklyn born
Lynn Nottage is the author Fabulation, directed by
Indhu Rubasingham at the Tricycle and also the award-winning Intimate Apparel, as well as A Walk Through Time, Crumbs from the Table of Joy, Mud River Stone, Por'knockers, Poof! and Las Meninas, all of which have been extensively produced Off-Broadway and regionally in the US. She is a member of
New Dramatists and a graduate o
F Brown University and the Yale School of Drama.
Indhu Rubasingham most recently directed Detaining Justice as part of the Tricycle's Not Black and White Season and co-directed the acclaimed The Great Game: Afghanistan also for the
Tricycle Theatre. For the Almeida she has directed Another America: Fire - an opera presented as part of the PUSH04 Season, and Chain Play II. Her other theatre credits include Wuthering Heights for Birmingham Rep, Free Outgoing for the Royal Court, Pure Gold for Soho Theatre, Heartbreak House for Watford Palace Theatre, Fabulation by
Lynn Nottage and Starstruck for the Tricycle, Yellowman at Hampstead Theatre, Bombay Dreams on which she was Associate Director, Tanika Gupta's Sugar Mummies,
Roy Williams' Lift Off and Club Land all for the Royal Court and The Waiting Room by Tanika Gupta for the
National Theatre. Rubasingham's production of Disconnect opens at the Royal Court next month.
PRINCIPAL SPONSOR
The Almeida Theatre is grateful to its Principal Sponsor Coutts & Co., who is currently in their seventh consecutive year of support. The relationship between Coutts and the Almeida, first established when the newly refurbished theatre reopened in 2003, is a unique collaboration which has developed and flourished over the past seven years. www.coutts.com
Captioned Performances 15 May at 3pm and 25 May at 7.30pm
Audio Described Performance 22 May at 3pm with a Touch Tour at 1.30pm
Almeida Access Line 020 7288 4999 or email access@almeida.co.uk
ADDRESS Almeida Theatre, Almeida Street, Islington, London, N1 1TA
CAFE-BAR The Almeida Cafe-Bar is open from 11.30am -11.00pm, Monday to Saturday, serving food, drinks and snacks.
BOX OFFICE
Phone 020 7359 4404 (24 hour)
In person 10.00am - 7.30pm, Monday - Saturday
On line www.almeida.co.uk
Tickets £32.00 - £8.00, concessions available
PERFORMANCES SCHEDULE
Regular performances are Monday - Saturday at 7.30pm, Saturday matinees at 3pm, Press Nights at 7.00pm
Ruined extra weekday matinees are on 19 May and
2 June both at 2.30pm
WEBSITE
www.almeida.co.uk
