Arcola Theatre Announces The World Premiere Of KEITH? A COMEDY

Arcola Theatre today announces the world première of Keith? A Comedy. Oscar Pearce directs Mark Jax (Morgan), Natalie Klamar (Roxy), Joseph Milson (Keith), Aki Omoshaybi (Mohammed), Sara Powell (Veena) and Lizzie Winkler (Anna). The production opens on 18 February, with previews from 13 February, and runs until 9 March.

A South African gun runner turned Buddhist monk. A gullible start-up millionaire. His radical feminist ex-wife. Their aid worker daughter. The young British Muslim she met in Syria. An ethical Serbian hitman. And an unstable Brazilian cleaner.

Modern Britain.

Moral chaos.

Total nightmare.

Patrick Marmion said today, "I wanted to write a comedy about the head spinning madness and recrimination of life in modern Britain. I thought Moliere might help so I eviscerated him and threw in a supernatural conman inspired by Euripides's Dionysus. Keith? is what emerged. I hope it goes some way to capturing the way we're all walking on eggshells, terrified of giving offence...luckily life isn't nearly as bad as we're supposed to think it is! It's great to be back at the Arcola doing a straight comedy; I can't quite believe what an amazing cast we've got. Hopefully, they'll bring the house down."

Artistic Director Mehmet Ergen, said today, "We're thrilled to be welcoming back the team behind last season's Great Apes and their brilliant new play, making its debut at Arcola. Inspired by Molière's writing Keith? is a new comedy by Patrick Marmion, directed by exceptionally talented Oscar Pearce. In a time of fake news, chaotic governments and media manipulation, Patrick Marmion's new play finds comedy in corruption, and forge farce out of deceit and lies we tell each other."

Patrick Marmion's theatre credits include Great Apes, The Divided Laing (Arcola Theatre), Terms & Conditions (White Bear) and Pieta - After Chekhov (Finborough Theatre/Print Room). Screenplay credits include Mushroom Soup, Kids FM and Maid Marion.

Mark Jax returns to Arcola Theatre to play Morgan. His credits for the company include Richard III, The Lower Depths and Sons Without Fathers. Other theatre credits include Pressure (Park Theatre/Ambassadors Theatre), Faithful Ruslan - The Story of a Guard Dog (Belgrade Theatre/Citizen's Theatre), Romeo and Juliet (HOME), A Soldier In Every Son (RSC) and Mansfield Park (Chichester Festival Theatre).

Natalie Klamar plays Roxy. Her theatre credits include Othello (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse), I Want My Hat Back, Cleansed (National Theatre), Future Conditional (The Old Vic) and The Cherry Orchard (Young Vic).

Joseph Millson plays Keith. His theatre credits include Apologia (Trafalgar Studios), The Rover (RSC), Mr Foote's Other Leg (Hampstead Theatre), Macbeth (Shakespeare's Globe), Rocket To The Moon (National Theatre), Love Never Dies (Adelphi Theatre), Fear & Misery, The Priory (Royal Court Theatre) and Judgement Day (Almeida Theatre). Television credits as series regular include Luc Hemingway in Holby City. Other television credit include The Last Kingdom, Banished and 24: Live Another Day; and for film, Casino Royale.

Aki Omoshaybi plays Mohammed. His credits include Hairspray (Shaftesbury Theatre), Hair, Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Chariots of Fire (Gielgud Theatre) and The Empress (RSC). His film credits include Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jed and The Riot Club.

Sara Powell returns to Arcola Theatre to play Veena. Her credits for the company include La Peste and Richard III. Other theatre credits include The Madness of George III (Nottingham Playhouse), The Crucible (Bristol Old Vic), Disgraced (Bush Theatre) and A Walk On Part (Soho Theatre). Her television credits include Death In Paradise, Little Boy Blue and Silent Witness.

Lizzie Winkler plays Anna. Her theatre credits include Quiz (Chichester Festival Theatre/Noël Coward Theatre), The Suicide, Frankenstein, The Power of Yes (National Theatre), Rebecca (Oxford Playhouse/UK tour), Boeing Boeing (Sheffield Theatres), The Country Wife (Royal Exchange Theatre) and The Prince of Homburg (Donmar Warehouse).

Oscar Pearce is an actor and director. His directing debut in 2018 won him a Best Director nomination at the Stage Debut Awards for Great Apes at the Arcola Theatre. His acting credits include The Tempest (RSC), Ghosts, All My Sons (Octagon Theatre Bolton) and The Real Thing (Donmar Warehouse/Ethel Barrymore Theatre).

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