Surviving the genocide

THE OVERWHELMING, Cottesloe Theatre

THE OVERWHELMING, the world premiere of a new play by JT Rogers, opens at the Nationals Cottesloe Theatre on 17 May, directed by Max Stafford-Clark, presented by the National Theatre in association with Out of Joint. The cast is: Jude Akuwudike, William Armstrong, Babou Ceesay, Chipo Chung, Nick Fletcher, Andrew Garfield, Matthew Marsh, Tanya Moodie, Lucian Msamati, Adura Onashile and Danny Sapani.

Seizing the opportunity to research a book, Jack Exley uproots his family from Illinois to Rwanda in early 1994. Alarmingly out of depth, Jack begins a fervent search for his dear and missing friend while his wife and teenage son find trouble of their own. As Jack involves himself in the local politics, he discovers a pattern of brutality and beliefs that jeopardizes the lives of everyone around him.

The Overwhelming is the first play by JT Rogers to be produced in the UK. His other plays include Madagascar (recently seen off-Broadway, winner of the 2005 Pinter Review Prize for Drama), White People, Seeing The Elephant and Murmuring in a Dead Tongue.

Max Stafford-Clark has recently directed Macbeth, Talking to Terrorists and O Go My Man for Out of Joint; he was last at the National with a co-production with OjO of David Hares The Permanent Way.

The Overwhelming will be designed by Tim Shortall, with lighting by Johanna Town and sound by Gareth Fry.

Following its run in the Cottesloe Theatre, The Overwhelming will tour to: Oxford Playhouse (5-9 September); West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds (12-16 September); Nuffield Theatre, Southampton (19-23 September); Liverpool Everyman (26-30 September); and Manchester Library Theatre (3-7 October).

Public information:
National Theatre
South Bank
London SE1 9PX
Tickets: £10, £18, £28
Box Office: 020 7452 3000 / www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
Nearest tube: Waterloo

***** Rwanda: Survival Against the Odds
in association with the Survivors Fund 27 June, 6pm Cottesloe
Tickets: £3.50/£2.50 concessions
Mary Kayitesi Blewitt lost almost her entire family in the Rwandan genocide and subsequently set up the Survivors Fund. One million Rwandans died in 100 days in 1994; today 365,000 survivors continue against the odds, haunted by memories and under threat from perpetrators now released from prison. To accompany the production of The Overwhelming, she talks about the work of the charity and the continuing effect of the atrocities, with BBC journalist Fergal Keane. www.survivors-fund.org.uk