SMOKE Will Premiere at the Southwark Playhouse in February 2023

Katy Galloway Productions has announced the London première of Smoke by Kim Davies, at Southwark Playhouse. The production opens on 3 February until 25 February with previews from 1 February. Júlia Levai and Polina Kalinina co-direct Meaghan Martin as Julie, and Oli Higginson as John in this gripping modern adaptation of Miss Julie, set in a pre-'Me Too' New York at a BDSM party. It asks audiences to question our pre-conceived conceptions around BDSM communities. With a series of Q&As involving sex positive activists, and BDSM advocates, this production aims to tackle notable prejudices such as 'kink shaming'.

The play originally premièred at The Flea Theatre, New York, in 2014, where it was critics pick in The New York Times and Time Out New York.

Kim Davies said today: "I couldn't be more honoured that such a talented group of artists has been assembled for the London premiere of this play. It means so much to me that this play continues to speak to audiences almost a decade after I wrote it-and perhaps all the more so in a culture that has now more fully reckoned with the #metoo movement and sexual abuse in both mainstream and kink culture."

Kim Davies'

SMOKE

A Katy Galloway Productions and 3 hearts canvas co-production

1 February 2023 - 25 February 2023

Press Night: 3 February 2023

Co-Directors: Júlia Levai and Polina Kalinina; Production Design: Sami Fendall; Sound Design: Jamie Lu; Lighting Designer: Rajiv Pattani; Graphic Designer: Justin Williams, Intimacy Director: Asha Jennings-Grant

The story takes place in pre-'Me Too' New York City, at a 'BDSM' party. Julie is a privileged college dropout dipping her toes into the world of S&M. John is a cynical, struggling artist willing to act as her guide. Their whirlwind encounter starts as a sexually charged game of cat and mouse. As they get to know each other, these seemingly self-possessed characters have their boundaries and notions of consent challenged. The consequences are irreparable and unsettling.

Oli Higginson plays John. His theatre credits include, LAVA (Soho Theatre), A Christmas Carol (The Old Vic), The Last Five Years (Southwark Playhouse, Garrick Theatre), The Haystack (Hampstead Theatre), Maggie & Ted (Garrick Theatre), The Assassination of Marcus Garvey (Theatre503), and Napoleon Blown Apart (Arcola Theatre). His television credits include, Bridgerton, The Pursuit of Love, This England, Julia.

Meaghan Martin plays Julie. Her theatre credits include, Never Not Once and The Actor's Nightmare (Park Theatre), and The Least We Could Do (The Other Palace). Her television credits include, House M.D, Wendy: The Series, 10 Things I Hate About You, Awkward. Her film credits include, Safelight, Bad News, Wives of the Landed Gentry, Journey, Camp Rock, Camp Rock 2, Dear Lemon Lima, Sironia, Geography Club and Ten Dates.

Júlia Levai is a theatre director from Budapest based in London. She previously received an MGCfutures bursary, and was also Director in Residence at The National Theatre in Belgrade. She is a script reader for the Papatango Prize, the Bruntwood Prize and for Paines Plough's Women's Prize for Playwriting. Her directing credits include, Machinal (St Mary's University), Northern Girls (Pilot Theatre) Did I Wake You? (Young Vic), The Impresario (Lamport Hall), The Prince of Homburg (The Space), Sweeties (Theatre503), There Has Possibly Been An Incident (Blue Elephant Theatre), and Amphibious (York Theatre Royal). Her assistant directing credits include, All's Well That Ends Well (RSC), L'Illusion Comique (National Theatre in Belgrade), and Nora: A Doll's House (Young Vic). Her associate directing credits include, The Bone Sparrow (UK Tour).

Polina Kalinina is a theatre director. Polina is a JMK finalist, a MGCfutures Bursary recipient, and a member of the Lincoln Centre Theatre Directors Lab in New York. Her directing credits include, Shakespeare in Love (Clifftown Theatre), Julius Caesar (Globe Neuss), Romeo and Juliet (Tobacco Factory & tour), Islanders (Soho Theatre), The Playboy of the Western World (Southwark Playhouse), Flashes (Soho Theatre), Dutchman (Orange Tree Theatre). Her associate director credits include The Events (Traverse, Young Vic, Guthrie, Curran, RFH).

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