Casting Announced For KERBS at Belgrade Theatre

The Belgrade Theatre has announced the cast for its world premiere run of Kerbs, co-produced with the UK's leading disabled led theatre company, Graeae. Kerbs is the debut play from Wolverhampton-based disabled playwright Michael Southan, running in the B2 auditorium from Sat 26 Feb - Sat 5 March.

The three-hander will feature Maya Coates - in her professional stage debut - as Lucy, Jack Hunter (Cost of Living - Hampstead Theatre, Teenage Dick - Donmar Warehouse) as David and Rekha John-Cheriyan (Hollyoaks, Tomb Raider) as Carol and Toni.

Lucy and David Are dating. Or at least, they're trying to. Faced with first-date disasters, a few crossed wires and Lucy's mum, what they really need is a bit of space, a bit of fun - and ideally some independence.

Escaping for the weekend to a caravan park in Somerset, it's time for them to find out if their spark will finally catch, or burn everything to the ground.

Directed by Co-Artistic Director & CEO of DaDa Fest, Nickie Miles-Wildin (Crips without Constraints, Cuttin' It), who has a long association with Graeae, Kerbs opens at the Belgrade in February, before touring across the UK until the beginning of April.

The designer is Amanda Mascarenhas (The Sorcerer's Apprentice - Northern Stage, Run It Back - Talawa Theatre), LX and AV designer is Josh Pharo (Cinderella - Lyric Theatre Hammersmith, The Color Purple - Leicester Curve & Birmingham Hippodrome), sound designer is Charlotte Barber (Utopia - Royal Exchange, Up The Hill - Royal Exchange, Belle and Mary - The Dukes Playhouse) and movement director is Angela Gasparetto (The Tyler Sisters - Hampstead Theatre, One Under - Graeae & Theatre Royal Plymouth).

Playwright Michael Southan said: "I'm delighted that Kerbs has found a home with Graeae at the Belgrade Theatre and thrilled that a love story with disabled people at its heart will be seen on stages across the country."

Director Nickie Miles-Wildin said: "I'm incredibly excited to be bringing Mike's amazing script to the stage. Kerbs is a witty representation of what it's like being a 20 something disabled person dating and carefully navigating your way through a relationship."

Kerbs is a co-production between the Belgrade Theatre and Graeae for Coventry UK City of Culture 2021. The production marks the beginning of Graeae's 40th anniversary year and a return to the city of Coventry, where the company was conceived back in the early 1980s.

Kerbs will feature Graeae's signature integrated creative captioning and audio description at every show. A digital version will also be made available for home-viewing at the end of the run. The production is supported by the Garfield Weston Culture Fund and Arts Council England.

Tickets for Kerbs are available by phoning the Box Office on 024 7655 3055 (phone lines open 10:30am - 2pm, Mon - Sat), or visiting www.belgrade.co.uk where tickets are even cheaper.