Defibrillator Announces UK Premiere Of Stephen Karam's SPEECH AND DEBATE

Defibrillator today announces the UK première of Speech and Debate by Stephen Karam, whose play The Humans won four Tony Awards this year, including Best Play. Tom Attenborough directs the production which opens at Trafalgar Studios on 24 February 2017, with previews from 22 February, and runs until 1 April. Casting will be announced shortly.

They may go to the same high school, but misfits Solomon, Diwata and Howie have never met and their peers just don't take them seriously.... until a sex scandal involving one of their teachers brings them together.

By creating a Speech and Debate team they finally have a chance to be heard, but will they be able to get their interpretive dance version of The Crucible ready in time for the big day?!

A hilarious play that grapples with serious modern social issues - homophobia, teenage alienation and the limits of online privacy.

Stephen Karam's plays include The Humans (Tony Award for Best Play, finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama), Sons of the Prophet (finalist for 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama), Dark Sisters, columbinus, Girl on Girl, Emma and an adaptation of Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard.

Tom Attenborough directs. His directing credits include Burbage's Farewell (Chichester Festival Theatre), Twelfth Night, Bell Book & Candle (US & UK tour), Untold Stories (Watermill Theatre), Private Lives (ATG UK tour), Dinner with Friends (Park Theatre), The Whipping Man (The Drum, Theatre Royal Plymouth), The Wasp (Hampstead Theatre Downstairs & Trafalgar Studios), Cinderella & The Beanstalk (Theatre 503), Hay Fever (Kay & McLean Australia Tour), Abigail's Party (Theatre Royal Bath & UK tour). He is the Artistic Director of Rhapsody of Words Productions, Associate Director of the Watermill Theatre and Artistic Associate of HighTide Festival Theatre.

DEFIBRILLATOR is an award-winning London based company with a growing reputation for delivering inspiring and entertaining theatre in both conventional and non-theatre settings. With a history of bringing to life material that may have been forgotten, the company is increasingly developing and discovering new works from UK and international writers for audiences around the world. Defibrillator is led by Artistic Director James Hillier who trained at RADA as an actor and has experience across theatre, film and television and Executive Producer Trish Wadley, supported by the Stage One Bursary Scheme for New Producers. Recent productions include Insignificance (Langham Place, New York) The Armour (The Langham, London), The One Day of the Year, Hard Feelings and Blue Surge (Finborough Theatre) and The Hotel Plays (The Grange Hotel & The Langham, London).

For tickets please visit www.ambassadortickets.com/trafalgarstudios.

Photo Credit: BWW-Staff