Photo Flash: First Look at Site-Specific Indian Noir NIGHT AT THE BOMBAY ROXY

Enter the decadent world of the Bombay Roxy, where the jazz is 'hot' and the atmosphere is heady... The world premiere of Swamp Studios' site-specific, immersive Indian noir, Night at the Bombay Roxy, directed by Eduard Lewis, will run until 14 December at the as-yet-unopened Dishoom restaurant in the iconic Barkers Building in Kensington, London. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Night at the Bombay Roxy is set in the intriguing world of Cyrus Irani's Bombay Roxy, a café and jazz club housed within a former Art Deco cinema, set in Bombay, 1949. Vikash Bhai plays the role of Cyrus, with Sophie Khan Levy playing the role of Ursula. They are joined by Raj Aich playing the role of Romesh, Seema Bowri as Farah, Manish Gandhi as Rudy and Harmage Singh Kalirai playing the role of the Inspector.

The jazz band features Laurence Garrat on double bass, Miguel Gorodi on trumpet, Leon Greening on piano, Dave Ingamells on drums and Helena Kay on saxophone and clarinet.

This talented ensemble of actors and musicians will transport the audience to the opening night of the Bombay Roxy. The performance is matched with a lavish dining experience. Audience members are greeted with welcome cocktails, and will feast on a menu of classic Bombay dishes as the performance unfolds.

Night at the Bombay Roxy is set in 1940s Bombay, where an unexpected and exciting jazz scene was flourishing alongside a uniquely Bombay version of the Art Deco style (the city remains the biggest and best example of Art Deco architecture in the world, after Miami). Whilst Bombay's architects and designers studied Western Art Deco, they redefined it by creating a distinctive Indian style. Jazz was first introduced to Bombay in the 1930s by touring American artists who opened the city's ears to new sounds. Local musicians were quick to catch on, and by the 1940s 'hot jazz' was everywhere. This was Bombay's glamorous jazz age, as told in Bombay-based author Naresh Fernandes' critically acclaimed book, Taj Mahal Foxtrot - the inspiration for this play.

Bombay, 1949. It is a close and heavy monsoon night on Marine Lines. Despite the weather, there is a jostling of people outside the Bombay Roxy. The club didn't always have this pull or indeed its current reputation. The man behind the reinvention is the charismatic Cyrus Irani, whose name was once synonymous with Bombay's racketeers, with murky allegiances, and with police escorts to Arthur Road Jail. But now Cyrus fully intends to put the Bombay underworld behind him. And his new venture, the Bombay Roxy, might just be his redemption.

Night at the Bombay Roxy has been created by Swamp Studios, an innovative theatre company, led by Ollie Jones and Clem Garritty (from the award-winning theatre collective Kill the Beast). Directed by Eduard Lewis, Associate Director of Dr. Seuss's The Lorax (The Old Vic, 2015), the rest of the creative team includes composer Dom James, movement director Sara Green, lighting designer Christopher Nairne and sound designer David Gregory.

For tickets and more information, visit nightatthebombayroxy.com.

Photo Credit: Helen Maybanks

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