Two Shows Launch Jermyn Street Theatre's 30th Anniversary Season

Jermyn Street Theatre’s Artistic Director, Stella Powell-Jones and Executive Producer, David Doyle launch the theatre’s 30th anniversary celebrations with the announcement of back-to-back world premieres by two of the UK’s most acclaimed contemporary theatre talents, Roy Williams OBE and Stephen Unwin.

At the end of February Sam Selvon’s iconic novel, The Lonely Londoners comes to the stage for the first time. The Olivier-nominated writer Roy Williams, who has come to define a generation of playwrights, adapts one of the most important novels of the 20th Century.

London 1956. Henry ‘Sir Galahad’ Oliver has just arrived from Trinidad carrying nothing but pyjamas and a toothbrush. Galahad’s meant to wait for his guide to London Moses Aloetta at Waterloo Station but, too impatient for his new life to begin, he heads right to Moses’s Bayswater digs and knocks on the door. Expecting a celebration, Galahad finds Moses and his friends soured on city life. Will the London fog dampen Galahad's dreams, or will these Lonely Londoners make a home in this city that sees them as a threat?

Running from 29 February to 6 April, and directed by former Carne Deputy Director Ebenezer Bamgboye, this premiere bursts onto the stage, shining a new light on London and what we call home.

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From 25 April to 25 May comes the world premiere of Laughing Boy, written and directed by Stephen Unwin after the memoir by Sara Ryan, Justice for Laughing Boy. This is the true story of Connor Sparrowhawk. Connor is, well, Connor. He loves buses, Eddie Stobart, and Lego. He also has learning disabilities. When he dies an entirely preventable death in NHS care, his mum Sara can’t get a straight answer as to how it happened. But Sara and her family won’t stop asking questions and soon an extraordinary campaign begins. Demanding the truth, it uncovers a scandal of neglect and indifference that goes beyond Connor’s death to touch the lives of thousands of others.

Both personal and political, Sara Ryan’s impassioned, frank, and surprisingly funny story comes to the stage for the first time in a co-production with Theatre Royal Bath. Writer and Director Stephen Unwin returns to Jermyn Street Theatre following his first play All Our Children and directing the sold out hit Farm Hall.

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Preceding these two productions is Jermyn Street Theatre’s third Footprints Festival that runs from January 10 to February 10 2024.  Comprising six daring and electrifying works, the month-long mini season showcases a wealth of new voices including the 2022-2023 Carne Deputy Director, the winner of the Woven Voices Prize for Playwriting, and the hand-picked cohort of up-and-coming writers, directors, designers, and producers that make up the theatre’s Creative Associates.  Full details here

Speaking about the announcement of these world-premieres, Stella Powell-Jones and David Doyle said:

The Lonely Londoners and Laughing Boy are huge stories told by huge talents. Roy and Stephen have both done so much to shape the theatrical landscape of today and we’re thrilled to be premiering their new plays. We can’t wait to share these generation-defining stories from the unparalleled intimacy of our stage. Epic, playful, and full of heart, these plays are the perfect way to launch our 30th birthday celebrations!

Full listings, along with details of the series of One Night Only performances can be found on Jermyn Street Theatre’s website.

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