The theatre has announced it will be reopening in June with the world premiere production of Out West.
Formed of three new plays by Tanika Gupta (A Doll’s House), Simon Stephens (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) and Roy Williams (Death Of England: Delroy), Out West will officially reopen the Lyric Hammersmith from the 18th June until the 24th July.
Co-directed by the Lyric’s Artistic Director Rachel O’Riordan and Diane Page, each of the plays will explore themes such as race, identity, place and purpose. The production’s creative team is also set to include: Set and Costume Design by Soutra Gilmour, Lighting Design by Jessica Hung Han Yun and Composition and Sound Design by Simon Slater. Casting for each of the one-person plays will be announced in due course.
Out West will operate with social distanced seating for the duration of the run, with the show also being filmed for audiences to watch at home and will be available for online streaming from 12th to 17th July.
Talking about the news, Rachel O’Riordan, Artistic Director and CEO of the Lyric and Co-Director of Out West said: “Out West is the production that reopens our doors after the enforced closure due to the pandemic. The three writers, Tanika Gupta, Simon Stephens and Roy Williams, are some of the most exciting voices in British theatre and I am so proud that they are sharing our stage and bringing the Lyric back to life. All three plays speak to our current moment; questions of race, geography, identity, belonging and hope run through all three. Theatre has the power to move, to challenge and to entertain. It is also the medium through which, for centuries, human beings have attempted to understand each other and the world around us. I cannot think of a more necessary moment for theatre than now. I look forward, with co-director Diane Page, to sharing Out West with you. We are back. We are here.”
Out West will run at the Lyric Hammersmith from the 18th June until the 24th July. To find out more about each of the plays and to book tickets visit: https://lyric.co.uk/shows/out-west/