Red Velvet

Writer
Lolita Chakrabarti

Director
Ashley Zhangazha

Production Manager
Emily Huxley

Venue
The Carne Studio Theatre

Dates
Monday 7 June at 7:45pm
Tuesday 8 June at 7:45pm
(live-streamed)
Wednesday 9 June at 2:15pm
Wednesday 9 June at 7:45pm

About the show

“Theatre is a political act, a debate of our times. This is our responsibility n’est ce pas? We have to confront life, out there, on our stage, in here. Make it live.”

An actor is about to step into the role of a lifetime: Othello at Covent Garden. But this is 1833, and the African American man has a lot to face, not least an audience expecting to see the great Edmund Kean.

Lolita Chakrabarti's Red Velvet takes us behind the curtains, to reveal the social history surrounding one of the first black actors to take a leading role on the London stage.

Red Velvet received its world premiere at the Tricycle Theatre, London on 11 October 2012. The production was revived and opened at the Tricycle Theatre, London, on 23 January 2014 before making its American Premiere at St. Ann’s Warehouse, New York on 25 March 2014.

About the writer, Lolita Chakrabarti

Lolita Chakrabarti is an award-winning playwright and actress.&

Writing credits include Life of Pi, Red Velvet and Hymn and acting credits include Hamlet, Riviera and the forthcoming Amazon series Wheel of Time. She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and has carved out an innovative, diverse and long running career.

Other writing credits The Goddess for Woman's Hour BBC Radio 4 and Last Seen Joy for the Almeida Theatre, London.

Lolita also worked as dramaturgist on Message in a Bottle, a show by Katie Prince and Sting, which opened at the The Peacock in February 2020.

Lolita produced Of Mary, a short film directed by Adrian Lester, which won Best Short Film at PAFF, Los Angeles.

Lolita is on the board of RADA and Rambert Dance. She lives in South East London with husband, actor Adrian Lester and their two daughters.