Photo Flash: Curve (Leicester) Presents MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE

Following the recent announcement that Curve, Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Everyman Theatre Cheltenham and Leeds Playhouse are co-producing a new stage production of Hanif Kureishi's My Beautiful Laundrette this autumn, the full cast for the drama has now been revealed.

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 and Grease, 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.

Opening at Leicester's Curve 20 Sep - 5 Oct, this bold new production of Hanif Kureishi's ground-breaking Oscar-nominated screenplay will be directed by Curve's Artistic Director Nikolai Foster.

Following performances in Leicester My Beautiful Laundrette will then tour to Everyman Theatre Cheltenham (8 - 12 Oct), Leeds Playhouse (15 - 26 Oct), Belgrade Theatre Coventry (29 Oct - 2 Nov) and Birmingham Repertory Theatre (5 - 9 Nov).

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.

Photo Credit: Ellie Kurttz

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