HighTide to stage new Kanye West play in festival line-up

HighTide will bring its festival of new writing to London this autumn, staging a play about rapper Kanye West in both London and Aldeburgh.

The festival has been staged in Suffolk since 2007, but will run a full programme in a temporary space in London for the first time this year.

The new space will be located in Walthamstow town centre from 26 September to 8 October, and the festival will also take place in Aldeburgh from 12 to 17 September, with a programme of new writing including two world premieres.

Kanye the First is a comic drama by Lemons, Lemons, Lemons… writer Sam Steiner. It charts the second coming of rapper Kanye West and examines identity and guilt in contemporary culture. It will be directed by Andrew Twyman.

The second premiere will be Heroine by Nessah Muthy, which is an exploration of patriotism and nativism directed by Steven Atkinson, who is also the festival's artistic director. It follows ex-soldier Grace as she struggles to reassimilate into society after being discharged on medical grounds.

The festival also sees the return of Girls by Theresa Ikoko. Girls tells the story of three young friends who are kidnapped in Nigeria.

As well as the headline plays, the programme also feature 12 comedy and cabaret shows, two hours of talks, and 11 other pieces by new writers.

Atkinson said: "This year we're focused on what HighTide Theatre is renowned for: commissioning bold and timely plays from the best new writers."

HighTide will take place in Aldeburgh from 12 to 17 September, and Walthamstow from 26 September to 8 October.