TAMING WHO? Comes to the Arcola Theatre in November

To mark 15 years working in theatre and with young people, Intermission Youth (IY) presents Taming Who? at the Arcola Theatre. Inspired by Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, this special anniversary production, adapted by IY’s award-winning Artistic Director Darren Raymond, will be performed by graduates of its Youth Theatre training programme (IYT), now working professionally across stage and screen.

This fast-paced Shakespeare remix interweaves 400-year-old verse with new dialogue to give fresh relevance, challenges gender stereotypes presented in Shakespeare’s original and explores identity and coming of age through the lens of youth culture in London today. 

Petruchio is studying at university and loving London life. An unexpected call from Mum, beckoning him back home to Nigeria, requires him to think on his feet and fast. What could he say to make her change her mind? “Mum I’m married!”. Overjoyed by this news, Mum agrees to let him stay and announces her arrival in London - in 3 days - to meet her….. Mortified, Petruchio needs to find a wife and fast!

The production, staged from 30 November to 14 December, will be directed by Stevie Basaula best known for his role in EastEnders as Isaac Baptiste (he also appeared in SKY’S Bulletproof and various roles at the RSC including Macbeth and Merry Wives of Windsor) and a former Intermission Youth Theatre alumnus.

The 11-strong cast includes Keon Martial-Philip (PARK THEATRE, HULU, Netfilx’s Supacell); DONNAVAN YATES (Witness For The Prosecution, COUNTY HALL, THE ALBANY, SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE); Sara Mokonen (The Jungle PLAYHOUSE THEATRE); Tre Medley (Compositor E OMNIBUS THEATRE, Othello and The Importance of Being Ernest CHANGELING THEATRE). Making their professional stage debuts are Megan Samuel (Joan 2024 ITVX), Tane Siah, Chadrack Mbuini (Lies of Our Confines, Discovery Plus 2024) Rakiya Hasan (ITV’s Riches), Kai Jerdioui, Sian-Leigh Moore and Morenike Onajobi.

Stevie Basuala says: “It’s a real 360 moment directing the same piece that I explored as a young and inexperienced actor, nervously but eagerly making my stage debut almost 10 years ago. So much has changed for me since then, but sadly, so much of the themes Shakespeare aimed to tackle remain the same. I look forward to finding new ways to address but honour his problematic classic in my directorial debut.”

Taming Who? forms part of Intermission Youth’s 15-year anniversary season of work. Since its inception in 2008, the organisation has been creating reimagined Shakespeare plays using theatre and exploring the Bard’s work to engage young, marginalised people lacking in opportunity. The annual 10-month drama training programme (IYT) which culminates in a fully realised stage production, performed by a cohort of young people, also forms part of this year’s anniversary season at the Arcola Theatre.

This year’s cohort production, titled Excluded is a powerful piece of new-writing which transplants Shakespeare’s most iconic characters into a classroom setting whilst highlighting current issues facing young people in education. The production will also run from 29 November to 16 December, including the Gala Night. The play is programmed to sit alongside the graduates/professional’s production.

Darren Raymond, Intermission Youth’s Artistic Director comments: “To be able to celebrate 15 years of youth work is incredible. I can’t think of a better way to mark this milestone than inviting back former graduates to perform in their own production alongside the current cohort show. It underpins what we are about, constant care, support and nurture and lifelong relationships. The celebration will give our audiences the opportunity to witness the “before” and “after” and how the organisation positively impacts the life of those we engage. You will also be thoroughly entertained by two productions, that put a spin on Shakespeare’s work, like you have never seen before!”

Mehmet Ergen, Artistic Director of Arcola Theatre said: "I’ve been aware of the incredible work of Intermission Youth for many years and the impact they are having on theatre and young people in the capital. I’m honoured to have them at the Arcola Theatre presenting their Anniversary season of work and look forward to welcoming audiences to see their productions.”

BACKGROUND 

Notable Intermission Youth Theatre graduates who have gone on to have successful careers both on and off stage and on screen include Tosin Cole (DOCTOR WHO), Mark Akintimehin (FOR BLACK BOYS, ROYAL COURT, APOLLO THEATRE), Aaliyah James (BBC EASTENDERS), Baba Oyejide (Netfilx’s TOPBOY and Sky Original’s THE BEEKEEPER), director and founder of Uproot Productions Deya and Abigail Sol.

The renowned organisation has a long-standing association with the RSC and Shakespeare’s Globe and is also supported by trustee Mark Rylance who says: “Intermission Youth is the most exciting young people’s theatre company I have ever witnessed.” 

Set up in 2008, Intermission Youth’s aim is to help transform the lives of disadvantaged young people aged between 16-25 years of age, living in deprivation and experiencing high levels of anti-social behaviour, family breakdown, dependency, and criminality. They believe that constant support, nurture, and care in a young person's life can give them the confidence and self-belief to make positive choices and change the course of their lives. Through its outreach arm, running programmes in schools, pupil referral units, young offender institutions and prisons, Intermission Youth has engaged with over 10,000 people across the UK since its inception.