Cast Announced For the World Premiere of THE APOLOGY at Arcola Theatre This Autumn

New Earth Theatre, in association with Arcola Theatre and The North Wall, has announced the full cast for the world première of Kyo Choi's The Apology, portraying the stories of the 'comfort women' of the Second World War and the subsequent political cover-up. Ria Parry directs Minhee Yeo (White Pearl, Royal Court Theatre), Sharan Phull (Everyone's Talking about Jamie, UK tour), Kwong Loke (The Great Wave, National Theatre), Sarah Lam (Paradise, National Theatre), Jessie Baek (Bridgerton) and Ross Armstrong (Chernobyl). Based on true accounts by survivors, The Apology opens at Arcola Theatre on 19 September, with previews from 15 September and runs until 8 October.

Director Ria Parry said today, "The North Wall has a reputation for nurturing and championing bold, brilliant artists who may otherwise be unheard in mainstream theatre - and it has been a privilege to support the development and realisation of The Apology alongside the superb team at New Earth and Arcola Theatre. Kyo is a writer of exceptional talent and I am thrilled to be working with the most wonderful cast to bring this story to the stage."

Seoul, 1991. Priyanka is beginning the UN investigation into the 'comfort women' of the Second World War, and the subsequent political cover-up. Yuna is about to learn the family secret her father has shamefully concealed for her whole life. And Sun-Hee, having kept her silence for over forty years, is on the brink of speaking out - an act which will ignite a fire that could spread across the world.

Three women's lives intertwine as they campaign for the truth against those who would rather it remain forgotten.

Minhee Yeo plays Han Yuna. Her recent stage credits include Dear Elizabeth (Gate Theatre), Deliverance (UK tour), White Pearl (Royal Court Theatre), Under the Umbrella (Belgrade Theatre), Hear Me Now (Theatre503), Mountains: The Dreams of Lily Kwok (Royal Exchange Theatre/UK tour) and Chinglish (Park Theatre). For film, her credits include Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Sharan Phull plays Priyanka Zaafir. Her recent theatre credits include Everybody's Talking About Jamie (UK tour), Bend It Like Beckham (Phoenix Theatre), The Importance of Being Earnest, Pink Sari Revolution, Scrooge: The Musical (Curve Theatre), Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth (National Theatre), The Show Must Go On! Live, Kings of Broadway Concert (Palace Theatre) and 2020: Collection 1 Monologues (Tara Theatre). Her television credits include Back.

Kwong Loke plays Han Min. Loke was a founding member of New Earth Theatre. His theatre credits include The Great Wave (National Theatre), Pah-la, New and Now, You For Me For You (Royal Court Theatre) Labour of Love (Noël Coward Theatre), Dear Elizabeth, Tibetan Inroads (Gate Theatre), You Never Touched the Dirt (Royal Court at Edinburgh), The Lulu Plays (Almeida Theatre), Hiawatha, Summer Rolls (Bristol Old Vic), The Changeling (Finborough Theatre), Rashomon, Scenes from Paradise (Riverside Studios), The Magic Paintbrush, The Snow Lion (Polka Theatre), Blue Remembered Hills (UK tour), Two Gentlemen of Verona (Singapore Drama Centre) and The Soldier's Tale (South Bank). For television, his credits include series regular Grandpa Chen in Chip and Biff, Gangs of London, The Feed, As Time Goes By, Love Hurts, The Knock and The Monkey King.

Sarah Lam plays Kim Sun-Hee. Her recent stage credits include Paradise, World of Extreme Happiness, Magic Olympical Games, Lost Worlds (National Theatre), All the President's Men (Vaudeville Theatre), Chimerica (Harold Pinter Theatre), Snow in Midsummer, Poppy (RSC), La Cage aux Folles (Park Theatre), Richard II (Shakespeare's Globe) The Country Wife (Southwark Playhouse), The Golden Hours, Top Girls, Sergeant Ola and His Followers, Cries from the Mammal House (Royal Court Theatre), Rice, Factors Unforeseen (Orange Tree Theatre), Mail Order of Bride (Northampton Theatre Royal) and Penny Whistle (Hampstead Theatre). Her film work includes: Hamlet, Tropic of Ice, Captive, Shanghai Surprise and The Wildcats of St Trinian's.

Jessie Baek plays Bok Hae. Her recent stage credits include The Visit (National Theatre), Wild Goose Dreams (Theatre Royal Bath), Sentenced to Silence (Camden Fringe Festival) and 24/7 (Battersea Arts Centre); and for television: Bridgerton (Miss Hallewell) and Secret Life of Boys.

Ross Armstrong plays Jock Taylor. His theatre credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream, Oppenheimer, The Shoemaker's Holiday (RSC), The Boss of It All (Soho Theatre/Edinburgh Fringe), The Deep Blue Sea (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Antony and Cleopatra (Liverpool Everyman), Hamlet (Donmar/Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway), Cyrano de Bergerac (Chichester Festival Theatre), The White Devil (Menier Chocolate Factory), Hapgood (Birmingham Rep) and Henry V (Royal Exchange Theatre). For television, his credits include: The Letter for the King (Balin), Chernobyl (Nikolai Gorbachenko) and Mr. Selfridge (Arliss).

Kyo Choi is a South Korean playwright and screenwriter based in London. Her first play Empowered was selected for Arcola Theatre's PlayWROUGHT Festival in 2016. Previously, her play readings were staged at the Soho and Arcola Theatres. The Apology was developed as part of New Earth Theatre's Professional Writers Programme. She was selected as one of the writers on the programme to a develop the play further at The National Theatre Studio. As a screenwriter, she has recently written a landmark Lunar New Year episode for Hollyoaks and is also working with Little House Productions on a biopic film about Wendi Murdoch. Last year, she was commissioned by Royal Central School of Speech and Drama to write a play for a large cast, resulting in Galapagos, performed at Bridewell Theatre in March 2022. She is currently writing ICON - The K-Pop Musical, with a UK and South Korea-based creative team.

Co-Director of The North Wall, Oxford, Ria Parry directs. Her previous work at Arcola Theatre includes The Island Nation and Jane Wenham: The Witch of Walkern. Her other directing credits include Love and Money (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), Spring Awakening (LAMDA), The Girl Who Never Looked Up (National Theatre Learning), Albion (Bush Theatre), Bike, On Golden Pond (Salisbury Playhouse), The Winter's Tale Re-imagined (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Dr Korczak's Example (Unicorn Theatre), Tales of Winter (Southbank Centre) and Fen (Finborough Theatre). She was awarded the Leverhulme Bursary for Emerging Directors in 2010, becoming Resident Director at The National Theatre Studio.

The Apology was developed as part of the New Earth Theatre Professional Writers Programme with support from The National Theatre.

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