King's Head Theatre Announces New Production of Paul Boakye's BOY WITH BEER

The King's Head Theatre today announces a new production of Paul Boakye's Boy with Beer, directed by Harry Mackrill, 25 years after the original production at the Man in the Moon Theatre. Enyi Okoronkwo plays Donovan and Chin Nyenwe plays Karl in the production, which also features new music from Taurean Antoine Chagar, regular collaborator of acclaimed drum and bass group Rudimental. It opens at the King's Head Theatre, on 11 November, with previews from 8 November, running until 26 November.

Brixton, 1991. The morning after the night before.

"That club last night... I was buzzing, you know"

As London waves goodbye to the 1980s and embraces the new rave scene, Karl is having a hard time holding on to his Ghanaian roots and Donovan is on the run - from his girlfriend.

Set to a soundtrack of dub, Paul Boakye's witty and tender play explores identity, sex and new beginnings - and how in the search for ourselves we might discover what we really want.

Playwright Paul Boakye said today, "Boy with Beer is a rare kind of love story. The relationship at its heart, between two black men, has as much to say about power, prejudice and the pressures of masculinity as it did twenty-five years ago at the heart of the AIDS pandemic. I'm delighted to present it to a whole new generation at the King's Head Theatre."

Paul Boakye's other plays include No Mean Street for Red Ladder Theatre and Wicked Games produced by West Yorkshire Playhouse. He has won the UK Student Playscript Award with Jacob's Ladder and the BBC Radio Drama Young Playwrights' Festival with Hair.

Chin Nyenwe plays Karl. His theatre work includes Little Stitches (Theatre 503 and Arcola Theatre), Vernon God Little (The Space), Mignight Man (Etcetera Theatre) and Parallax (Almeida Theatre). For television his work includes Lawful Killing and Aliens.

Enyi Okoronkwo plays Donovan. His theatre credits include Arthur's World (Bush Theatre) and wonder.land (National Theatre and Theatre Du Chatelet, Paris). For film his work includes A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Harry Mackrill directs. He was Resident Director at the Tricycle Theatre 2013 - 2015. At the Tricycle, he worked as a director on Things Will Never Be The Same Again, Paradise Street and God's Dick (part of the NW6 New Writing Festival) and an assistant director on Red Velvet (also New York and Kenneth Branagh season at The Garrick), Multitudes, The House That Will Not Stand and The Colby Sisters of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His other directing work includes P45 (Vibrant Festival, Finborough Theatre), Coffee & Whisky (Ovalhouse) and Look Back in Anger (New Wimbledon Studio). As Associate/Staff Director, his credits include Handbagged (West End/tour) and The Motherf**ker with the Hat (National Theatre).

The King's Head Theatre is London's first and foremost pub theatre and is led by Artistic Director, Adam Spreadbury-Maher. New writing, revivals, musicals, opera and cabaret sit side by side in an unashamedly eclectic programme of work. It is committed to staging relevant, challenging and high quality LGBT theatre with several productions, including F*cking Men, 5 Guys Chillin' and Strangers in Between, enjoying extensions and critical acclaim. Thanks to an in-house agreement with Equity, it is leading the way when it comes to ethical employment on the fringe whilst its resident trainee director's scheme continues to provide comprehensive, vocational training to the rising stars of tomorrow. With high profile co-productions, national touring and transfers to and from the biggest arts festivals in the world, it is certainly not slowing down!

Boy with Beer Listings

King's Head Theatre, 115 Upper St, London, N1 1QN

www.kingsheadtheatre.com

0207 226 8561

Twitter: kingsheadthtr

Facebook: kingsheadtheatre

Tickets:

8th November - all tickets £10

9th - 11th November - all tickets £14

All tickets thereafter from £15

Performances:

Tuesday - Saturday 7pm

Sunday 3pm