Metta Theatre to Stage World Premiere of MOUTHFUL

Metta Theatre today announces the world première of Mouthful, the centrepiece of their 10th anniversary celebrations. Mouthful is a darkly comic and at times heartbreaking response to the global food crisis through six brand new plays from six of the world's leading dramatists - Lydia Adetunji, Bola Agbaje, Clare Bayley, Inua Ellams, Neil LaBute and Pedro Miguel Rozo. The playwrights, with support from a Wellcome Trust Arts Award, have teamed up with six world-renowned scientists - Professors Tim Benton, Kamal Bawa, Suzanne Filteau, Ilkka Hanski, Molly Jahn and Tim Lang to collaborate on this politically provocative and theatrically imaginative production.

Artistic Director of Metta Theatre, Poppy Burton-Morgan directs Alisha Bailey, Doña Croll, Robert Hands and Harry Lister Smith in the production which opens at Trafalgar Studios, Studio 2 on 11 September with previews from 8 September.

UK Champion for Global Food Security Professor Tim Benton said today "Our food impacts on our health and well-being, the planet's well-being and our eating habits affect the livelihoods of others throughout the world. Mouthful innovatively explores our food system and the way our demand may affect our futures."

Sebastian (Harry Lister Smith) is travelling halfway around the world to find his steak-loving friend who's missing in Nigeria, while Rashida (Alisha Bailey) just wants to eat her bar of chocolate in peace. GoGo (Robert Hands) is sacrificing everything for a glass of water and Erica (Doña Croll) is trying to win round her daughter's affections with a rare delicacy - the last potato. But whatever you do don't try one of Ruth's carrots...

Mouthful was created by playwrights Lydia Adetunji (Catherine Johnson Award for Compliance), Bola Agbaje (Olivier Award for Gone Too Far; Royal Court), Clare Bayley(The Container; Young Vic), Inua Ellams (The 14th Tale and Black T-Shirt Collection; National Theatre), Neil Labute (This Is How It Goes; Donmar Warehouse, Some Girl(s); West End) and Pedro Miguel Rozo (Our Private Lives; Royal Court) in partnership with top international scientists; Professors Tim Benton (University of Leeds; UK Champion for Global Food Security) Kamal Bawa (University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA), Suzanne Filteau (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine), Ilkka Hanski (University of Helsinki, Finland), Molly Jahn (University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA) and Tim Lang (City University, London; The Guardian). There will also be a series of post show discussions with Mouthful's scientific advisors and other key speakers throughout the run, please see listings for details.

The cast will play multiple roles across the six plays:

Alisha Bailey's theatre credits include Moon on a Rainbow Shawl (National Theatre), The Serpent's Tooth (Almeida Theatre), Powder Monkey (Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre) and The Boy from Centreville (The Edinburgh Fringe). For TV Lewis, Doctor Who, Missing, Dirk Gently and My Almost Famous Family; and for film, I Give It a Year and The Decoy Bride.

Doña Croll's theatre her credits include All My Sons (Talawa Theatre and The Royal Exchange), Twelfth Night (Sheffield Crucible), The American Plan (Bath Theatre Royal), Heresy of Love (Royal Shakespeare Company) and The Archbishop and the Antichrist (Soho Theatre). For TV Moving On, Dani's Castle, Ice Cream Girls, Casualty (series regular), Doctors (series regular), Silent Witness, The Shadow in the North, Little Miss Jocelyn, Time Trumpet, Family Affairs (series regular), Bremner Bird and Fortune and William and Mary; and for film, Tula: The Revolt, Mammoth, Eastern Promises, Kill Kill Faster Faster, I Could Never Be Your Woman and Manderlay.

Robert Hands' theatre credits include Scenes from an Execution (National Theatre), The Winter's Tale (Propeller), Henry V (Propeller), Spamalot (West End) Chicago (Adelphi Theatre), Mamma Mia (Prince of Wales Theatre) Lady Windermere's Fan (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Invisible Friends (National Theatre), The Importance of Being Earnest (The Old Vic). For TV Partners in Crime, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, Love and Marriage, Doctor Who, The Dark Room, Peak Practice and House of Elliot (series regular); and for film, The Lesson, Eliza Graves, Hippy Hippy Shake, Anna and the King, Charlotte Gray, and Shine.

Harry Lister Smith's theatre credits include Macbeth (Park Avenue Armory, New York) Everyday Maps for Everyday Use (Finborough Theatre), Posh (The Royal Court Theatre/The Duke of York's Theatre), Hamlet (Sheffield Crucible). For TV War and Peace, New Tricks, The Crimson Field, Tom Brown's School Days and My Dad's the Prime Minister; and for film, Pan, Viking Quest, Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse and Madame Solario.

Poppy Burton-Morgan's credits as adaptor and director for Metta include The King of Tiny Things (Udderbelly Festival at Southbank Centre), Alice (Theatre Royal Buru St Edmunds & UK tour), Monkey & Crocodile (The Egg, Bath & UK tour), Sexing The Cherry and Waiting (Southbank Centre, Purcell Room), The Man With the Flower in His Mouth (Greenwich Theatre/site-specific), Blood Wedding, (Southwark Playhouse) and The Elephant's Child (Trafalgar Studios & Arcola Theatre). Other directing credits for Metta include Canticles (Arcola Theatre, Little Angel Theatre & Shunt Vaults), Otieno (Southwark Playhouse) Cocteau in the Underworld and The Devil's Drum (Arcola Theatre). Other directing credits include Gotcha (Riverside Studios), HMS Pinafore (Cambridge Arts Theatre), La Boheme(COL Palestine National Theatre & tour) and J'attendrais (English Touring Opera).

Metta10

Mouthful is the centrepiece of Metta10 - 10 plays staged in one year to celebrate 10 years of Metta Theatre. Others have included a new production of Cosi fan Tutte in partnership with Oxford Philomusica and the world premiere adaptation of The King of Tiny Things by the award-winning author Jeanne Willis and Gwen Millward. Metta Theatre is also currently developing an urban adaptation of The Jungle Book featuring skateboarding, beatbox, street dance and contemporary circus which will tour in 2016 (having received £88,000 ACE Strategic Touring Funding) & a new adaptation of Brecht's The Caucasian Chalk Circle.

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