Nine Night
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| Nine Night | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Natasha Gordon |
| Directed by | Roy Alexander Weise - London (2019) |
| Date premiered | 21 April 2018 |
| Place premiered | Dorfman Theatre |
| Original language | English |
| Original run | 21 April - 26 May 2018 |
Nine Night is a 2018 play by Natasha Gordon. It focuses on the traditional Jamaican Nine nights, as a family struggles with their loss.
National theatre and West End (2018)
Nine Night had its world premiere production at Dorfman Theatre beginning on 21 April 2018, playing a limited run to 26 May.[1] The production was transferred to the West End, beginning previews at Trafalgar Studios on 1 December 2018 prior to opening night on 6 December. The production played a limited run to 23 February 2019.[2] The transfer to Trafalgar Studios in 2018 made Natasha Gordon the first Black female playwright to have their work staged in the West End.[3] The playwright herself also stepped into the role of Lorraine for this production.[4] Both the original production and the West End transfer were directed by Roy Alexander Weise.[1][2]
US (2022)
Nine Night was originally announced to be premiered in the US on 5 January 2022. However, the production was postponed due to cases of COVID-19 being detected in the company.[5] The postponed production was premiered at the Round House Theatre (Bethesda, Maryland) on 14 September 2022, with the run finishing on 9 October. The US production was directed by Timothy Douglas.[6]
Leeds and Nottingham Playhouses (2022)
In 2022, the play was scheduled for a revival at Leeds Playhouse from 24 September to 15 October, followed by a run at Nottingham Playhouse from 19 October to 5th November. This production was directed by Amanda Huxtable.[7] Nine Night's run in Leeds was also part of the Out of Many Festival, which celebrated Jamaican culture in the city.[8]
Actress Josephine Melville, who played the part of Aunt Maggie in this production, died backstage at Nottingham playhouse on 20 October 2022 after a performance. All subsequent performances of the Nottingham run were cancelled following Melville's death. [9]
Cast and characters
| Character | Dorfman Theatre | West End | US | Leeds and Nottingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018[10] | 2018-19[11] | 2022[6] | 2022[12] | |
| Lorraine | Franc Ashman | Natasha Gordon | Lilian Oben | Shereener Browne |
| Trudy | Michelle Greenidge | Joy DeMichelle | Andrea Davy | |
| Anita | Rebekaha Murrell | Kaitlyn Boyer | Jessica Whitehurst | |
| Aunt Maggie | Cecilia Noble | Kim James Bey | Josephine Melville † | |
| Uncle Vince | Ricky Fearon | Karl Collins | Doug Brown | Wayne Rollins |
| Robert | Oliver Alvin-Wilson | Avery Glymph | Daniel Poyser | |
| Sophie | Hattie Ladbury | Katie deBuys | Jo Mousley | |
† Actor passed away during the production's run.