Full Cast Announced For BOOTYCANDY At The Gate Theatre

Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu directs the UK premiere of Robert O'Hara's startlingly provocative and outrageously funny, Bootycandy, a whip-smart, high-octane, roller coaster ride about growing up black and gay.

The full cast is Prince Kundai as Sutter playing alongside Bimpé Pacheco, DK Fashola, Luke Wilson and Roly Botha.

Sutter is on a journey. A sugar-exploding pilgrimage to understand himself, the world around him, and why his Old Granny calls his d*ck a "bootycandy". But in continuing to discover all the parts that make him..."him"... will he come to terms with what he finds?

Bootycandy is a semi-autobiographical, kaleidoscopic, black queer fever dream of connected vignettes exploring childhood, sexuality, fantasy and reality.

Director Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu said 'I think Bootycandy and its form is one that will really speak to other Queer Black people in the UK and the frenetic, crazy nature of our existence. Each vignette in the piece is a side of a powerful, unapologetic Black Queer imagination that we seldom see on the British stage. This play speaks to me as a Queer Black Man still exploring my place in the world and all stuff that has made me who I am today. I want to create a show that feels immersive, hyper-colourful, mind-bending, messy and imagination expanding - Because that is what a lot of the beautiful Black Queer minds I have met are like to me. I want to honour that.

Robert O'Hara (he/him) has received the NAACP Best Play and Best Director Award, the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding New Play, two Obies and the Herb Alpert Award. Broadway: Slave Play (Tony Nomination). Off Broadway: He directed the world premieres of Jeremy O. Harris' Slave Play, Nikkole Salter and Dania Guiria's In the Continuum, Tarell McCraney's The Brother/ Sister Plays (Part 2), Colman Domingo's Wild with Happy, Kirsten Childs' Bella: An American Tall Tale, Ross Baum and Angelica Cheri's Gun and Powder, and his own plays, Bootycandy, Mankind, and Insurrection: Holding History. His upcoming projects include directing O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night, directing Anthony Davis's Opera X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, writing and directing a series for Netflix/Ryan Murphy and writing and directing a feature film adaptation of his original play, Barbecue for Anonymous Content.

Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu (he/him) is a British-Ghanaian theatre-maker whose work aims to stretch the imagination of his audiences with his unique brand of storytelling. Tristan has directed at venues like Young Vic, Royal Court and National Theatre. He is an Associate Director of Initiative.dkf, and Associate Artist at Brixton House and Gate Theatre. Tristan is the winner of the 2019 JMK Directors Award. Previous work includes multi-award nominated productions Sweet Like Chocolate Boy (Jack Studio Theatre/Tobacco Factory Theatres/Theatre Peckham); Little Baby Jesus (Orange Tree Theatre); Sundown Kiki (Young Vic); and For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy (Nouveau Riche/New Diorama Theatre/Royal Court), for which he won the Black British Theatre Award for Best Director and Best Production.

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