Ice and Fire Announces Full Cast for World Premiere of THE ISLAND NATION at the Arcola
By: Liz Cearns Sep. 28, 2016
ice&fire today announces the full company for the world première of The Island Nation, written by its Artistic Director Christine Bacon. Ria Parry directs Claire Dargo, Ayesha Dharker, Bally Gill, Clive Hayward, Nikki Patel and Neran Persaud in the production which opens at the Arcola Theatre on 28 October, with previews from the 26 October, and runs until 19 November 2016.
'The world does not care. The world doesn't even know. There are European tourists sipping cocktails right now on the beaches in the south, who have no idea what's happening in the north.'
Sri Lanka, 2009. A 26-year civil war between the government and the Tamil Tigers is coming to an end. The United Nations, the media and all independent witnesses are banned from entering the war zone.
Nila, a young Tamil woman, is trapped in rebel-held territory. Rebecca, a British aid worker, is desperate to get her out. Erik, a Norwegian politician, thinks he has a plan for peace. But nothing is certain - and nobody is safe.
Be transported to the heart of Sri Lanka to discover the shocking truths, and the extraordinary human sides, of the biggest unreported war story of our time.
Christine Bacon joined ice&fire in 2006 and in 2010 she was appointed as Artistic Director. Under her direction ice&fire was shortlisted for the prestigious Liberty (Arts) Award for its contribution to building a human rights culture in the UK. In 2006 she founded Actors for Human Rights, which has brought together more than 700 professional actors united together in activism and inspired a similar network in Germany. Her other works include Rendition Monologues, The Illegals, Even if We Lose Our Lives and On The Record, the latter of which she co-wrote with Noah Birksted-Breen and which was directed by Michael Longhurst at the Arcola in 2011. She is a leading proponent of the collection and presentation of first hand testimony of human rights stories and her work has been seen at venues such as Southbank Centre, Soho Theatre and Belvoir St Theatre in Sydney.
Claire Dargo plays Rebecca. Her theatre credits include Horizontal Collaboration and Zorro (Traverse Theatre), The Life of Stuff (Theatre503), Crackers (Belgrade Theatre), Iron (Scottish tour), The Duchess of Malfi (Royal & Derngate), Crush (Tron Theatre), She Stoops To Conquer, Wild Honey and Outlying Islands (Pitlochry Festival Theatre) and The Importance of Being Earnest (Theatre Royal Bath). For television her credits include Shetland, Catastrophe and Phil's Ill.
Ayesha Dharker plays Chandrika/Jenny. Her theatre credits include Arabian Nights, Othello, A Midsummer Night's Dream (RSC), Anita and Me (Birmingham Rep and Theatre Royal Stratford East), Dr Faustus (Bristol Old Vic), Bombay Dreams (West End and Broadway) and The Ramayana (National Theatre/Birmingham REP). For television her credits include Indian Summers, Critical, The Indian Doctor, Little Crackers, Coronation Street (as series regular Tara Mandal), Doctor Who, Bodies, Waking the Dead, Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee and A Mouthful of Sky; and for film, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, Anita and Me, Arabian Nights, Red Alert: The War Within, Mad Sad & Bad, Loins of Punjab Presents, Outsourced, Colour Me Kubrick, The Mistress of Spices.
Bally Gill plays Nick/Sanath. His theatre credits include Fall of the Kingdom, Rise of the Foot Soldier and Always Orange (The Other Place), Dinner with Saddam (Menier Chocolate Factory) and A Local Boy (UK tour). For television his credits include NW.
Clive Hayward plays Erik. His theatre credits include Top Hat (Aldwych Theatre), Ducktastic! (Albery Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing (Wyndham's Theatre), Yes Prime Minister (Trafalgar Studios), Frogs, Oh! What A Lovely War, Earthquakes in London (National Theatre), Dr Heart, Cyrano De Bergerac, Private Lives (Manchester Royal Exchange), Julius Caesar (Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory) and Twelfth Night (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre). For television, his credits include The Windsors, Utopia, Law and Order, Prime Suspect, Afterlife and Silent Witness; and for film, Melody and Private Peaceful.
Nikki Patel plays Nila. Her theatre credits include Future Conditional (The Old Vic) and Romeo and Juliet (Garrick Theatre). For television, her credits include series regular Amber in Coronation Street and The Five.
Neran Persaud plays Balasingham/KP. His theatre credits include Dr Blighty (Brighton Festival), Made in England (Birmingham Rep), Papa Was a Bus Conductor (Oval Theatre), Bad Company (Theatre Mayfest Glasgow), Kings, Curse of the Dead Dog, How's your Skull, Does it Fit? (Harrow Arts Centre) and The Fighting Kite (Theatre Royal Stratford East). For television his credits include Waking the Dead; and for film, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The Three Kings, The Wisdom of Crocodiles and Wild West.
Ria Parry is Joint Director of Iron Shoes. Her directing credits include Jane Wenham: The Witch of Walkern (Out of Joint, national tour), Bike (Salisbury Playhouse), Albion (Bush Theatre), The Girl Who Never Looked Up (National Theatre), On Golden Pond (Salisbury Playhouse), The Winter's Tale Reimagined (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Dr Korczak's Example (Unicorn Theatre), Tales of Winter (Southbank Centre) and Fen by Caryl Churchill (Finborough Theatre). In association with Iron Shoes, Parry directed the sell-out UK tour of the critically acclaimed Mad About The Boy by Gbolahan Obisesan and the Scotsman Fringe First award-winning Crush by Paul Charlton. She was also awarded the Leverhulme Bursary for Emerging Directors in 2010, becoming Resident Director at the National Theatre Studio.
Arcola Theatre
24 Ashwin St, London E8 3DL
Box Office: 020 7503 1646
Mondays - Saturdays at 8pm
Saturday matinees at 3:30pm
Standard price: £17
Concessions: £14
Opening performances (26/27 October): £12
Tickets are £10 or less with Arcola Passport
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