Having originally been commissioned by New Diorama Theatre and co-commissioned by Boundless Theatre, Ryan Calais Cameron‘s play will transfer to the West End for six weeks only.
The Royal Court Theatre and Nica Burns have confirmed that For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy will run at the Apollo Theatre from the 25th Mach until the 7th May with tickets on sale now.
Directed by Ryan Calais Cameron, the production transfers to the West End following on from a run at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs where it was on last spring, having originally opened at the New Diorama Theatre in association with Nouveau Riche.
Inspired by Ntozake Shange’s seminal work For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf. For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy is located on the threshold of joyful fantasy and brutal reality: a world of music, movement, storytelling and verse – where six men clash and connect in a desperate bid for survival. Father figures and fashion tips. Lost loves and jollof rice. African empires and illicit sex. Good days and bad days. Six young Black men meet for group therapy, and let their hearts – and imaginations – run wild.
The play was originally created in response to the killing of Trayvon Martin in 2013 and has been developed over the course of the last decade with young black men and mental health groups.
This West End transfer will see the original cast returning to the show, for which they collectively won the best performer in a play category at The Stage Debut Awards in 2022 and will be making their West End debuts, includes: Mark Akintimehin, Emmanuel Akwafo, Nnabiko Ejimofor, Darragh Hand, Aruna Jalloh and Kaine Lawrence.
Meanwhile, the creative team behind the production includes: set and costume design by Anna Reid, lighting design by Rory Beaton, Additional Music and sound design by Nicola T Chang, movement direction by Theophilus O. Bailey and musical direction by John Pfumojena. Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu directed the show’s original run at New Diorama Theatre.
Talking about the news of the transfer, Ryan Calais Cameron, playwright and Nouveau Riche Artistic Director, said: “A West End transfer of For Black Boys, will be a momentous occasion for my community and those who have taken the show into their hearts. We really hope this show will drastically change the commercial theatre landscape by ensuring theatre is for everyone and reflects our society; we could not have gotten this far without the immense support of our advocates and audiences.”
To book tickets click here.