New Bush season includes Nick Payne's Incognito

The new season at the Bush Theatre opens with Jackie Sibblies Drury’s We Are Proud to Present…, which sees Gbolahan Obisesan (Mad About the Boy) return to the Shepherd's Bush venue to direct.

The play – fully titled We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884-1915 – tells "the little-known story of the first genocide of the 20th Century."

Running from 5 March to 12 April 2014 (previews from 28 February), the cast features Ayesha Antoine, Joseph Arkley, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Joshua Hill, Kirsty Oswald and Isaac Ssebandeke.

This is followed by Nick Payne‘s new play Incognito (14 May-21 June), which transfers to the Bush following its premiere at the HighTide Festival Theatre.

The play links three stories involving an autopsy of Einstein, a pioneering brain operation and the breakdown of a doctor's marriage to explore "the nature of identity and how we are defined by what we remember."

Payne's previous works include the award-winning Constellations (Royal Court and West End), The Same Deep Water As Me (Donmar Warehouse) and Blurred Lines (NT Shed).

Other highlights of the new season include Perseverance Drive (4 July-16 August) by playwright and actor Robin Soans, directed by artistic director Madani Younis; followed by Chris Thompson‘s Bush debut with the world première of his new play Albion (12 September-25 October).

Younis said, "I’m particularly excited to announce our season for 2014 as we introduce new plays by Chris Thompson and Robin Soans to our programme, both new commissions under my tenure. It’s wonderful to invite these two voices to our stage – Robin with his wealth of experience, and Chris at the start of his journey."

The Bush's new writing festival RADAR returns in November for a third year to showcase work from "some of the world’s most exciting playwrights and theatremakers of today".