James Farncombe News

Sagar Arya, Daniel Betts, Paul Bhattacharjee, Lolita Chakrabarti, Michael Cochrane, Vincent Ebrahim, Nabil Elouahabi, Tom McKay, Danny Rahim, Jemma Redgrave, Jemima Rooper, Hugh Skinner, Ramon Tikaram and Rick Warden are the acting company for the Tricycle Theatre's Afghan Festival, The Great Game: Afghanistan.

Sagar Arya, Daniel Betts, Paul Bhattacharjee, Lolita Chakrabarti, Michael Cochrane, Vincent Ebrahim, Nabil Elouahabi, Tom McKay, Danny Rahim, Jemma Redgrave, Jemima Rooper, Hugh Skinner, Ramon Tikaram and Rick Warden are the acting company for the Tricycle Theatre's Afghan Festival, The Great Game: Afghanistan.

Former Theatre Critic-turned-Playwright Nicholas de Jongh's first full-legth play, PLAGUE OVER ENGLAND - currently running at the Duchess Theatre through May 2 - will be moving to the big screen. de Jongh will pen the adaptation.

Nicholas de Jongh the national theatre critic has penned to great success Plague over England?. It's a look at a life, the law, celebrity at a time when homosexuality, the role of a well known figure, public morals were being challenged from all sides.

Sagar Arya, Daniel Betts, Paul Bhattacharjee, Lolita Chakrabarti, Michael Cochrane, Vincent Ebrahim, Nabil Elouahabi, Tom McKay, Danny Rahim, Jemma Redgrave, Jemima Rooper, Hugh Skinner, Ramon Tikaram and Rick Warden are announced as the acting company for the Tricycle Theatre?s Afghan Festival, The Great Game: Afghanistan.

Published in 1842, The Overcoat satirises provincial bureaucracy and the pursuit of material wealth. It is one of Gogol's most popular short stories and has had a lasting influence on Russian literature. Now the award-winning company, Gecko, reinvent this classic with their own blend of physicality, humour, cinematic imagery and evocative music to tell the tale of a downbeat draughtsman fixated on a new coat - and, ultimately, the unobtainable girl at the desk next to him.

The Tricycle Theatre will present The Great Game: Afghanistan from 17 April - 14 June 2009, a festival exploring Afghan culture and history through fifteen plays, a ten day film programme, Qawali Sham Sufi Group concert, ceramic and photographic exhibitions, discussion sessions, writers' talks and play readings (in conjunction with the National Theatre Studio). Previews for The Great Game: Afghanistan begin on 17 April with a press day on 24 April. In addition, the Tricycle's Education Department will produce a series of projects to support the Festival.