Theatre News

Court’s Theatre Local returns to Peckham with Belong & Vera

5 April 2012

The Royal Court’s Theatre Local project will return to Peckham this summer, bringing Bola Agbaje’s Belong and Hayley Squires‘ Vera Vera Vera to the Bussey Building from 31 May to 28 July.

Following a 2010 launch in an empty shopping unit in Elephant and Castle, Theatre Local presented Debbie Tucker Green‘s truth and reconciliation and the world premiere of Rachel De-Lahay‘s The Westbridge in Peckham last year.

The scheme, which was established to take plays to “alternative spaces”, will return to former small arms and cricket bat factory on Rye Lane, opposite Peckham Rye Station, which was saved from demolition thanks to community group Peckham Vision.

Belong, which is a Tiata Fahodzi commission by Bola Agbaje and directed by Indhu Rubasingham, is presented at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs from 2 May (previews from 26 April) to 26 May 2012.

It stars Lucian Msamati playing a British MP. Following a controversial defeat at the polls, he returns to Nigeria and enters a political battle that makes him question what he believes and where he truly belongs.

The production will transfer to Peckham following its Royal Court, running from 31 May to 23 June. Belong has design by Ben Stones, lighting by Malcolm Rippeth and sound by David McSeveney.

Hayley Squires‘ debut play Vera Vera Vera examines the fall-out of a soldier’s death and is currently running in the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs as part of the Court’s Young Writers Festival.

The production, which opened at the Royal Court on 26 March (previews from 22 March) continues until 14 April. The show is designed by Tom Piper with lighting by Stephen Andrews and sound by David McSeveney.

Vera Vera Vera will run from 4 to 28 July at the Bussey Building.