Curve has announced the casting for its world-première Made at Curve production of Memoirs of an Asian Football Casual, running in Leicester from 26th September – 6th October 2018. The production is adapted for the stage by Curve Associate Artist, Dougal Irvine from the 2012 book by Riaz Khan. The gritty drama will be directed by Curve’s Artistic Director, Nikolai Foster.
Memoirs of an Asian Football Casual sees Curve once again championing young emerging talent, with recent graduates Jay Varsani and Hareet Deol cast in this thrilling two-man play.
Jay Varsani is set to play the central role of Riaz, who guides the audience through his induction into the world of football ‘casual’ culture. Jay is a recent graduate of East 15 Acting School, with Memoirs of an Asian Football Casual being his professional debut. Roles whilst training include Ariel in The Pillow Man; Laertes in Hamlet; Ginger in Jerusalem; Joe Keller inAll My Sons and Riz in The Invisible. Jay has also appeared as a stunt performer in Ripper Street for Tiger Aspect Productions and BBC.
Hareet Deol, a Leicester local, is set to play Riaz’s brother, Suf. Hareet is a recent graduate of Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, with Memoirs of an Asian Football Casual being his professional stage debut. Credits whilst training include Charles/ Silvius in As You Like It, Alex in Microcosm and Peppe in Napoli Milionaira. Hareet also played Josh in The Shore (Solus Productions).
Memoirs of an Asian Football Casual tells Riaz Khan’s colourful account of growing up in the multi-cultural city of Leicester. Riaz fights back against racial abuse and social injustices by becoming involved in the football ‘casual’ culture, and joins Leicester’s infamous ‘firm’ of football hooligans, the ‘Baby Squad’.
Decked out in the latest designer gear and ready for a brawl with the rival firm on match day, Riaz and his friends unwittingly create a multi-cultural gang advocating racial tolerance, where the only labels that matter are on the clothes. But as the years go by and the casualties of football firms around the country mount up, Riaz soon discovers the true price of belonging to a subculture of violence.
Set in the 1980s, this new piece of writing explores the development of the hybrid youth culture of the time, which developed within a shocking culture of violence. The story is vividly brought to life with the characters of Riaz and Suf portraying the various colourful characters they interact with.
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