Photos: Lester rehearses Red Velvet as new painting of Ira Aldridge is found

Rehearsal shots have been released for the world premiere production of Lolita Chakrabarti's Red Velvet at the Tricycle Theatre, starring Adrian Lester as 19th Century actor Ira Aldridge.

Adrian Lester in rehearsal as Ira Aldridge

Marking the opening of Indhu Rubasingham's inaugural season as artistic director of the Tricycle Theatre, Red Velvet centres on Aldridge, the African-American actor who caused a storm in 1833 when he took over from Edmund Keen in Othello at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. 

By remarkable coincidence, a lost picture of Aldridge (below) has recently been unearthed, just as the play is about to open (on 11 October 2012). The 40 x 60 cm oil on board painting was discovered by Birmingham-born art enthusiast Stephen Howes, who found it in his late mother's garage.

Art historian Michelle Linger said of the discovery: “This piece is significant on many levels.  It is unusual as it shows Aldridge actually performing, probably at the height of his fame as he is clearly the principal lead in the production, whereas most paintings of him are portraits. And it is clearly not a Shakespeare play - and most people would have known him for his roles in Othello and The Merchant of Venice - which adds to the work’s singularity."

Ferdinand Kingsley

The play also features Simon Chandler, Rachel Finnegan, Natasha Gordon, Ryan Kiggell, Ferdinand Kingsley, Charlotte Lucas and Eugene O'Hare.

Writer Lolita Chakrabarti

Red Velvet runs at the Tricycle Theatre until 24 November.

All photos by Tristram Kenton.

Simon Chandler, Charlotte Lucas, Rachel Finnegan, Ferdinand Kingsley

Director Indhu Rubasingham, writer Lolita Chakrabarti & choreographer Imogen Knight

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	Red Velvet Listing Page

Internal Links
	Podcast: #WOSOuting to Tricycle's Red Velvet - 18th Oct 2012 radio
	Red Velvet - 17th Oct 2012 reviews
	1st Night Photos: Tricycle rolls out the Red Velvet carpet for party - 17th Oct 2012 photos
	Review Round-up: Rubasingham opens tenure with Red Velvet - 17th Oct 2012 roundup
	Opening: Adrian Lester in Red Velvet, new musical Loserville & Soho's Terror - 15th Oct 2012 news
	Full casting announced for Chakrabarti's Red Velvet at Tricycle - 12th Sep 2012 news