Photos: First Look at Joseph Black in Ifeyinwa Frederick's SESSIONS

Today Paines Plough and Soho Theatre have released new production images for Ifeyinwa Frederick's SESSIONS, directed by Philip Morris.

Exploring the complexities of mental health in young men, masculinity, depression and therapy, SESSIONS will tour the UK from 29 September, starting in Selby and ending it's run at Soho Theatre from 8 November to 4 December with a Press Night on 11 November. Tickets for SESSIONS at Soho Theatre and on tour are now on sale.

Ifeyinwa's debut play THE HOES was shortlisted for the Verity Bargate Award in 2018. Alongside her theatre work, Ifeyinwa is a restaurateur, co-founding Chuku's - the world's first Nigerian tapas restaurant - and was included on Forbes' list of 100 Female Founders in Europe. Philip Morris was a Trainee Director at The Royal Court Theatre and is the founder and Artistic Director of Trybe House Theatre, a newly formed company which seeks to actively build resilience and self-wellbeing, primarily with young black men aged 16 - 25, using theatre as a supportive outlet.

Raw, funny and bittersweet, SESSIONS by Ifeyinwa Frederick interrogates the challenge of opening up and accepting our own vulnerabilities.

"30 just matters, init. Like there's no doubt you're a proper adult then. Like 25 to 29 is just training but 30, it's real."

Tunde's 30th birthday is fast approaching. So, he's just started therapy because he hasn't been able to get to the gym for weeks and a recent one night stand ended in tears - his.

The one man play will be performed by Joseph Black. Joseph's theatre credits include: Clay in THE DUTCHMEN, Duke Orsino in TWELFTH NIGHT, Claudio in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (GB Theatre Company), William the Troll, Bombur and The Great Goblin King in the Duke Theatre's award-winning park show, THE HOBBIT (UK Theatre Award - Best Show for Children and Young People, Northern Soul - Best Theatre Production), Stanley in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (Rapture Theatre Company), Baloo / The Monkey King / Rann in THE JUNGLE BOOK (Greenwich Theatre), The Beast in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Salisbury Playhouse) Cleomenes in THE WINTER'S TALE (Cheek By Jowl), Lord Capulet, Friar Laurence and Prince in ROMEO AND JULIET (Orange Tree Theatre) and a European tour of OTHELLO as the titular character (TNT). He is also credited as the Fight Director of RABBITS by Sadie Smith, and ETERNITY by Asaro, and fight captain in most of the shows mentioned above.

Tour locations include: Selby Town Hall; Arts Centre Washington; The Maltings, Berwick-upon-Tweed; Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven; Middlesbrough Town Hall; Cast, Doncaster; Mill Arts Centre, Banbury; The Hat Factory, Luton; The Edge, Manchester; artsdepot, Finchley; The Old Market, Brighton; Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis; Ventnor Exchange, Isle of Wight; The Spring Arts Centre, Havant; The Garage, Norwich; Key Theatre, Peterborough; Norden Farm, Maidenhead; Derby Theatre; Unity Theatre, Liverpool; South Hill Park, Bracknell; Pound Arts, Corsham; Trestle Arts Base, St Albans; Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford.

In 2019 Paines Plough co-commissioned a new play by Ifeyinwa Frederick, one of the 2019 Soho Six, in a yearlong attachment programme for artists run by Soho Theatre. As part of their 2021 season Paines Plough, together with Soho Theatre, will present the result. The production debuts in September 2021 with a national tour before playing at Soho Theatre in November 2021. This will be the third production in a multi-year partnership with the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

Paines Plough will be partnering with Trybe House Theatre, a newly formed company which seeks to actively build resilience and self well-being, particularly with young black men aged 16-25, using theatre as a supportive outlet. Together, they will deliver a programme of theatre workshops to national audiences alongside the SESSIONS tour.

Photo Credit: The Other Richard

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