Rawaed Asde stars in Vincent in Brixton, the acclaimed play exploring a young Vincent van Gogh’s formative years living in South London. The production marks the first major revival of Nicholas Wright’s Olivier Award‑winning drama.
Under the direction of Georgia Green, the cast brings to life a story of creativity, connection and transformation, centred on the unexpected relationships formed in a modest 19th‑century boarding house.
Vincent in Brixton runs from 14 March to 18 April 2026 at Orange Tree Theatre. Tickets are available here.
You’re starring in Vincent in Brixton at Orange Tree Theatre. What can you tell us about the show?
The show, rooted in the kitchen of the Loyer household, unravels Vincent van Gogh’s early experience in London. It follows his personal journey through formative relationships, ambition and emotional awakening, moving through time as he navigates complex connections at a very elementary point in his life.
You play Sam Plowman. How have you been shaping your interpretation of the character, and what aspects of Sam feel closest to you?
Sam begins as an ambitious young artist, mirroring Vincent’s hunger and filled with an immense sense of purpose. But his journey moves towards letting go of that ambition and ultimately embracing family life.
What feels close to me is living in that tension of being at the beginning of a career, grappling with purpose and shaping my values. I believe Sam shows that choosing relationships and a chosen family can be just as fruitful and beautiful as pursuing artistic greatness.
The play captures Vincent van Gogh’s early years in a London boarding house. What themes in the story or writing resonate most strongly with you?
The play’s exploration of ambition and the nature of being an artist really resonates with me, especially the question of whether suffering is necessary for art, or whether the beauty of a human life can itself be an expression of art.
It also explores love, home, time and the decisions we make at the beginning of our lives that quietly define who we become. It is not about completion, but about those first defining choices.
You’re working with director Georgia Green and a company that includes Niamh Cusack and Jeroen Frank Kales. What has the collaborative process been like so far?
It has been incredibly trusting and collaborative. The play is intimate and delicate, and that has created a space where we can bring ourselves and meditate on our own journeys.
Everyone cares deeply about the story we are telling, and that shared love for the piece has made the process warm, open and energising.
As a recent RADA graduate with experience in theatre and television, how does this production build on the work you’ve done so far
This production has been a great opportunity to develop my craft, marrying the inner life and subtlety I have explored in my screen work with the technical aspects of theatre, particularly the Globe, which is an immensely muscular space.
The challenge has been maintaining intimacy and truthfulness within a contained, naturalistic space while still engaging and sharing the language fully with the audience.
What would you say to anyone thinking of booking to see Vincent in Brixton?
It is a beautiful meditation on the beginnings of life and the choices that shape us. By grounding the myth of Van Gogh in domestic truth and humanity, the play reveals something deeply personal and moving.
We are excited to welcome audiences into our home and share this beautiful story.
