Noël Coward Theatre to stage Slave Play by Jeremy O. Harris

This week rehearsals got underway for Slave Play by Jeremy O. Harris…

The full creative team and understudies for the UK premiere of Slave Play, directed by Robert O’Hara, have also been revealed. This ground-breaking play about race, identity and sexuality in twenty-first-century America will play a strictly limited season from 29 June – 21 September 2024 at the intimate Noël Coward Theatre.

Previously announced cast includes Fisayo Akinade, Kit Harington, Aaron Heffernan, Olivia Washington alongside James Cusati-Moyer, Chalia La Tour, Annie McNamara and Irene Sofia Lucio who will reprise their roles from the original Broadway production.

The understudies announced this week completing the cast are Troy Alexander, Dimitri Gripari, Maite Jauregui, Prince Kundai and Malikah Mcherrin-Cobb.

Kit Harington and Olivia Washington, Slave Play, Photo by Olivia Lifungula

Slave Play was originally staged in 2018 at New York Theatre Workshop before transferring to Broadway’s John Golden Theatre in 2019. The production received 12 nominations at the 74th Tony Awards, breaking the record previously set by the revival of Angels in America.

The production is a three-act play about race, power relations, sex, trauma, and interracial relationships.

It follows three interracial couples undergoing “Antebellum Sexual Performance Therapy” because the black partners no longer feel sexual attraction to their white partners. The title refers both to the history of slavery in the United States and to sexual slavery role-play.

Empire Street Productions, Seaview and bb² presents: Slave Play

Written by Jeremy O. Harris, Directed by Robert O’Hara, Designed by Clint Ramos

​Noël Coward Theatre
85-88 St Martin’s Ln, London, WC2N 4AP

29 June – 21 September 2024, Monday to Saturday 7.30pm, Wednesday and Saturday 2.30pm

Tickets: From £20

Website: www.slaveplaylondon.com  
Box Office: 0344 482 5151