Curve, Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Everyman Theatre Cheltenham and Leeds Playhouse announce a new co-production of Hanif Kureshi's My Beautiful Laundrette.
Curve, Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Everyman Theatre Cheltenham and Leeds Playhouse have today announced that they are joining forces to co-produce a new stage production of Hanif Kureishi’s screenplay My Beautiful Laundrette. This bold new production of Hanif Kureishi‘s ground-breaking 1985 Oscar-nominated film of the same name will be directed by Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster (Memoirs of an Asian Football Casual and Joe Orton’s What the Butler Saw, both at Curve). Presented against a funky backdrop of 80s music and culture, this drama will explore cultural conflict, gender equality, class and generational strife. Set in London during the Thatcher years, My Beautiful Laundrette tells the story of young British Pakistani, Omar, who transforms his Uncle’s run-down laundrette into a thriving business. After being confronted by a fascist gang, Omar recognises school-friend Johnny and uses their history to diffuse the situation. As they renovate the laundrette together, love blossoms between them. This culture clash comedy is also a subversive work of social realism, sprinkled with magic and joy running through the rich veins of Kureishi’s writing.
Omar Malik (East is East, Nottingham Playhouse and Gangsta Granny, UK tour) will join the production as the quick-witted Omar, a young British Pakistani who transforms his Uncle’s run-down laundrette into a thriving business. Jonny Fines (An Officer and a Gentleman – the Musical, Curve and UK tour andGrease, Curve) will play rebellious punk Johnny, the role which launched the career of Daniel Day-Lewis.
Gordon Warnecke, who originally played Omar in Stephen Frears’ 1985 film, joins this new cast as Papa, Omar’s alcoholic but wise Father.
Completing the cast are Paddy Daly as Genghis and Dick O’Donnell, Kammy Darweish as Nasser,Hareet Deol as Salim, Nicole Jebeli as Tania, Balvinder Sopal as Bilquis and Moose and Cathy Tyson as Rachel and Cherry.
Speaking about the announcement, Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said “We are thrilled to be presenting Hanif Kureshi’s astonishing adaptation of his Oscar-nominated film My Beautiful Laundrette.
“Hanif surfs a multitude of strikingly relevant issues in his 1985 masterpiece - from the journey of the immigrant, English working class society, women’s roles in the family and the results of Thatcher’s policies. Kureishi does all of this with bucketloads of wit, openness, compassion and a sense of mischief at the absurdity of it all.
“We are looking forward to working with Hanif and our partners at Leeds Playhouse, Belgrade Theatre Coventry and Everyman Theatre Cheltenham very much.”
My Beautiful Laundrette Tour is directed by Nikolai Foster, designed by Grace Smart, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Tom Marshall, with casting by Kay Magson CDG.
Read our review of My Beautiful Laundrette.
MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE UK TOUR
20 September - 5 October 2019
Curve, Leicester
8 - 12 October 2019
Everyman Theatre Cheltenham
15 - 26 October 2019
Leeds Playhouse
29 October - 2 November 2019
Belgrade Theatre Coventry
5 - 9 November 2019
Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Douglas Mayo has had a life long love affair with musical theatre. He has authored several books on publicity and marketing for amateur theatre groups. He is in the process of developing a musical based on his original story concept.
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