ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI Starts Tonight Donmar Warehouse

Sope Dirisu will portray iconic boxer Muhammad Ali in Kemp Powers's play ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI, beginning tonight at the Donmar Warehouse.

Dirisu will play Cassius Clay - Ali's name before he joined the Nation of Islam -in the drama, which imagines the boxer in a hotel room with activist Malcolm X (played by Francois Battiste), singer Sam Cooke (played by Arinze Kene) and actor Jim Brown (played by David Ajala) following Clay's victory over Sonny Liston in 1964.

Kwame Kwei-Armah is set to direct the UK premiere, which begins performances tonight, October 6.

This new production of Kemp Powers' compelling play ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI is a fictional account of a real night in 1964. The play imagines a 22-year old-Cassius Clay, fresh from his world heavyweight boxing title win choosing to celebrate with his three closest friends - activist Malcolm X, singer Sam Cooke, and football star Jim Brown.

The cast also includes David Ajala as Jim Brown, Francois Battiste as Malcolm X, and Arinze Kene as Sam Cooke.

Dirisu took the stage in several productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company before training with the National Youth Theatre and going on to appear in the TV series UNDERCOVER, SIBLINGS, HUMANS, UTOPIA and THE MILL, as well as the miniseries adaptation of J.K. Rowling's THE CASUAL VACANCY. His film credits include SAND CASTLE, CRIMINAL and THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER'S WAR.

Photo Credit: Paul Smith

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