SINBAD THE SAILOR Pantomime to Play Theatre Royal Stratford East This Winter

Artistic Director of Theatre Royal Stratford East, Kerry Michael today announces the cast for the company's annual pantomime - Sinbad the Sailor by Paul Sirett. The production runs from 28 November, until 21 January, with press performances on 8, 9, 10 December.

He directs Johnny Amobi (Nurse), Michael Bertenshaw (Prince Naw-Ze Uzz), Julian Capolei (Sinbad), Rina Fatania (Green Genie Uzz), Ben Goffe (Sultan), Alim Jayda (Captain Greenbeard), Josephine Melville (Clanker), Marianna Neo?tou (Princess), GEmma Salter (Funky) and Gabby Wong (Sinbadda).

With a tradition of featuring original music, hilarious audience participation and comedy for all ages, it's no surprise that a Theatre Royal Stratford East pantomime is one of the best in London.

With heaps of surprises along the way, join Sinbad and his friends on a voyage to mysterious places as they strive to successfully complete their perilous quest.

Paul Sirett is an Olivier-nominated, award-winning playwright, dramaturg and musician. Sirett has a long association with the Theatre Royal Stratford East where many of his plays have been produced including hit musical The Big Life which subsequently transferred to the West End. He has also worked extensively as a dramaturg for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Soho Theatre, Royal Court, National Theatre and for West End and Broadway producers. He is currently Associate Dramaturg of the Ambassador Theatre Group. Sirett is also an Associate Artist of Soho Theatre, an Associate Teacher of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and an Associate Fellow at the University of Warwick.

Johnny Amobi plays Nurse. His theatre credits include Starlight Express, Miss Saigon, Joseph, Five Guy's Named Mo, Notre Dame de Paris, Once On This Island and Dancing In The Streets (All West End). Alongside his West End credits Amobi has achieved success as a composer and featured artist. He also collaborated with producer George Martin on a concept album for the BBC.

Michael Bertenshaw plays Prince Naw-Ze Uzz. For Theatre Royal Stratford East, Bertenshaw has performed in various pantomimes including Robin Hood and Dick Wittington as well as the forthcoming The Hotel Cerise. Other theatre credits include The Merchant of Venice, The Taming of the Shrew, All's Well That Ends Well, Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII (Shakespeare's Globe). For television his credits include The Crown, Miliband, Criminal Justice, Murderland, The Worst Christmas of My Life, Messiah III, William and Mary and The Brief; and for film, The Da Vinci Code, Flyboys, Bust, Another Life, Intimate Relations, Giving Tongue and Paper Mash.

Julian Capolei plays Sinbad. This production marks his professional acting debut.

Rina Fatania plays Green Genie Uzz. Her theatre credits include Love N Stuff (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Dead Dog in a Suitcase (Kneehigh Theatre Company UK & international tour), The Empress (RSC, The Swan Theatre), Dick Whittington and Cinderella (Hackney Empire), Wah! Wah! Girls (Sadler's Wells/ UK Tour), The House of Bilquis Bibi (Hampstead Theatre & UK tour), Britain's Got Bhangra, It Aint All Bollywood, Meri Christmas and The Deranged Marriage (Rifco Arts), Wuthering Heights, A Fine Balance, The Child of Divide and Strictly Dandia (Tamasha), Bombay Dreams (Apollo Victoria) and Arabian Nights (Midland Arts Centre); and for film, Raabta, Mumbai Charlie and The Travel Londoner.

Ben Goffe plays Sultan. His theatre credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream (RSC), Beauty and the Beast (New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich), The Threepenny Opera (Nottingham Playhouse /Graeae/ West Yorkshire Playhouse), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Arts Theatre), Aladdin (New Victoria, Woking), Peter Pan (Liverpool Empire) and Dick Whittington (New Wimbledon Theatre); and for film, AmStarDam and Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban. In addition to this he portrayed the Michael Jackson character Mekill Hacksaw in the band Beatfreakz. They released two singles, Somebody's Watching Me and Superfreak.

Alim Jayda plays Captain Greenbeard. His theatre credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare's Globe), Annie The Musical (UK Tour), Britain's Got Bhangra, Break The Floorboards and Mummyji Presents (Rifco Arts), Blockbuster (UK tour), Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, Jack and the Beanstalk and Puss in Boots (Greenwich Theatre). His television credits include The Last Leg Takeover and Bremner, Bird And Fortune; and for film, Kismet Diner.

Josephine Melville plays Clanker. For Theatre Royal Stratford East her credits include Moon Over A Rainbow Shawl, Party Girls, Red Riding Hood, Pinocchio, Blaggers and Funny Black Women on The Edge. Other theatre credits include, Dick Whittington (Greenwich Theatre), Hair (Theatre Clywd), O Babylon and Unfinished Business (Talawa Theatre Company), Fruit Salad (Greenwich Theatre / Hackney Empire), Forty and Aladdin (Hackney Empire) and The Coup (National Theatre). Her television credits include L8R Youngers, Rapping at the Royal, Prime Suspects 2 and Downtown Lagos.

Marianna Neo?tou plays Princess. Her theatre credits include Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (West End), We Will Rock You (European tour), The Waterbabies (Curve), Dusty (Charing Cross Theatre), Smurfs Live (International tour) and Peter Pan (Hazlitt theatre).

GEmma Salter plays Funky. For Theatre Royal Stratford East her credits include Come Dancing, Little Red Riding Hood and Jack and the Beanstalk. Other theatre credits include Dreamboats and Petticoats (Playhouse Theatre), One Man Two Guvnors (Theatre Royal Haymarket, West End), Made in Dagenham (Adelphi Theatre, West End), The Taming of the Shrew (New Wimbledon Theatre); and for television, Rock and Chips and Call the Midwife.

Gabby Wong plays Sinbadda. For Theatre Royal Stratford East her credits include Takeaway. Other theatre credits include Doctor Faustus (Duke of Yorks Theatre), Volpone, Jew Of Malta and Love's Sacrifice (RSC), Numbers Of Memory/ Venuse Flytrap (Tamasha), Beat My Time Machine Skipped (Soho Theatre) and Othello (Shakespeare's Globe).

Kerry Michael directs. Michael has been Artistic Director of Theatre Royal Stratford East for 12 years. Under him the theatre has been nominated for numerous Olivier Awards and his production of Cinderella was the first pantomime ever nominated in the award's history. Other nominations included You Me Bum Bum Train and the remount of Oh What A Lovely War. TRSE have also won Oliviers for its hip-hop production of Boy Blue's Pied Piper in association with the Barbican and for Cora Bissett's immersive theatre experience Roadkill. Michael has pioneered many unique and diverse projects including IFEA, an International Artists exchange, where 30 countries participated in sending over to London a few of their most aspiring young artistes to work together and create new work. Kerry's most recent directing credits include I Was Looking At the Ceiling, Then I Saw the Sky, Battle of Green Lanes, The Great Extension, The Harder They Come (Barbican/Playhouse Theatre & North America tour), Come Dancing, Takeaway, Robin Hood and Love N Stuff.

IF YOU GO:

SINBAD THE SAILOR

Theatre Royal Stratford East
Gerry Raffles Square, London E15 1BN

Box Office: 020 8534 0310
www.stratfordeast.com

Access Performances:
Signed: Sat 7 Jan 2pm
Audio-description: Sat 14 Jan 2pm
Captioned: Fri 6 Jan 7pm

Performance times:
28 November - 21 January
Press performances: 8, 9 or 10 December 7pm

Ticket prices:
Newham Discount Night £2.50
Mon - Sat £10 - £25.50
Concessions from £8