Pilot Theatre have today announced the casting for the world premiere of Emteaz Hussain’s adaptation of Alex Wheatle’s award-winning novel – Crongton Knights.
Crongton Knight’s cast will feature Olisa Odele (Ola in Chewing Gum, E4 and PC Merrick in Scarborough, BBC) as McKay; Kate Donnachie (Frankenstein: How To Make A Monster, Battersea Arts Centre Beatbox Academy) as Bushkid; Simi Egbejumi-David (Shit-Faced Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet, Magnificent Bastard Production and Around the World in 80 Days, Kenny Wax Family Entertainment & Simon Friend) as Festus; Aimee Powell (Freeman, Strictly Arts Theatre Company and Over The Too, Belgrade Theatre) as Venetia; Khai Shaw (Little Baby Jesus, Orange Tree Theatre ) as Jonah; Marcel White (Freeman, Strictly Arts Theatre Company) as Nesta and Nigar Yeva (Give Me, Soho Theatre) as Saira.
Life isn’t easy on the Crongton Estate and for McKay and his mates it’s all about keeping their heads down but when a friend finds herself in trouble, they set out on a mission that goes further than any of them imagined.
Crongton Knights will take you on a night of madcap adventure as McKay and his friends ‘The Magnificent Six’ encounter the dangers and triumphs of a mission gone awry. In this world premiere adaptation of Alex Wheatle’s award-winning novel, the pulse of the city is alive on stage with a soundscape of beatboxing and vocals laid down by the cast and created by acclaimed musician Conrad Murray.
The production is co-directed by Corey Campbell (Artistic Director of Strictly Arts Theatre Company and Co-Artistic Director of the Belgrade Theatre for 2021 ) and Pilot Theatre’s Artistic Director Esther Richardson (Noughts and Crosses and Brighton Rock, Pilot Theatre).
Crongton Knights will be the second of four co-productions between Pilot Theatre, Derby Theatre, Belgrade Theatre Coventry and York Theatre Royal who last year formed – with the Mercury Theatre Colchester – a new partnership to develop theatre for younger audiences. From 2019-2022 the consortium will commission and co-produce an original mid-scale production each year. Each production will play in all the consortium venues as well as touring nationally. The consortium’s first production, Noughts & Crosses, was seen by over 30,000 people on tour with 40 % of the audience being aged under 20.
Crongton Knights will open at Belgrade Theatre Coventry from 8-22 February and will then tour to York Theatre Royal (25-29 February), Theatre Royal, Brighton (4-7 March), The Lowry Salford (10-14 March), Derby Theatre (17-21 March), Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield (31 March-4 April) and Theatre Peckham (22 Apr-9 May).
