FIRST LOOK INSIDE REHEARSAL ROOM FOR DRIFTWOOD AT THE RSC

By Helen McWilliams

 



Rehearsal images have been released for the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), in association with Kiln Theatre, for the world premiere of Driftwood, a powerful new play by Martina Laird.

ALMA promises its guests a comfortable environment to relax and indulge. Owned by Englishman Mansion, it's governed by Pearl and coveted by beguiling Ruby.

Then Diamond drifts in. His impetuous deal with a corrupt US Marine imperils ALMA, and all their lives are collateral damage. One wrong move and everything could shatter.

Driftwood is the first play by Martina Laird. Directed by Chichester Festival Theatre’s Artistic Director Justin Audibert and set in 1950s Caribbean, it’s a deeply evocative story of self-determination and the search for family and belonging.


DRIFTWOOD
By Martina Laird

Royal Shakespeare Company in association with Kiln Theatre

The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon
17 April – 30 May 2026
Press Night: Tuesday 28 April 2026

Creative Team Talk: Thursday 23 April

Post show talk: Thursday 7 May

Captioned performances: Saturday 9 May, 1.30pm and Friday 29 May, 7.30pm

Chilled and handheld captioned performance: Thursday 14 May, 1.30pm

Audio described performances with pre-show touch tour: Saturday 16 May, 1.30pm and Friday 22 May, 7.30pm

Chilled performance: Saturday 23 May, 1.30pm

Driftwood - Book Tickets


Kiln Theatre

3 June – 4 July 2026

Press Night: Tuesday 9 June

Audio Described: Thursday 25 June, 7.30pm preceded by a Touch Tour

Captioned: Thursday 2 July, 7.30pm

Relaxed: Saturday 27 June, 2.30pm

Alcohol Free: Tuesday 30 June, 7.30pm

Post show Q&A: Friday 19 June, 7.30pm

KILN THEATRE

Your stories live here

“A marvellous community reality…alive with challenge and promise.” James Baldwin

Kiln Theatre is the creative and cultural hub of Kilburn in Brent, a uniquely diverse area of London where over 140 languages are spoken.

We are a place of creative transformation and artistic ambition – an empowering space where community connection sits at the centre of everything we do. From the heart of Kilburn, we stage an internationally acclaimed programme of UK premieres and dynamic revivals - real human stories that entertain, fire the imagination and reflect the world around us. 

As Tricycle and now Kiln, we are proud of our artistic history and passionate about our future. We nurture talent and develop pathways whilst celebrating diversity and removing barriers – driving world-class theatre and opening up opportunities for who gets to make it.

“Kiln Theatre has revitalised the cultural life of Brent and brings world-class theatre at an affordable price to people from all walks of life.” Zadie Smith

We believe that theatre can be for anyone, and we are committed to nurturing the talent of young people and providing a platform for their voices to be heard whilst working with older people to create a thriving community around our theatre.

A neighbourhood venue shaping national conversation. Our doors are open to all, and your stories live here.

“I wanted to say thank you for creating the most diverse theatre I have been to. In terms of race, culture, class, age, everything – not only in the selection of shows and actors, but in the audience.”

Audience member

Artistic Director/CEO: Amit Sharma | Executive Director: Iain Goosey

www.KilnTheatre.com

@KilnTheatre

Charity No. 276892
 KilnTheatre.com 

The production will run at The Other Place in Stratford-upon-Avon from Friday 17 April to Saturday 30 May 2026, before transferring to Kiln Theatre in London from Wednesday 3 June. There will be a press night at The Other Place on Tuesday 28 April and a London press night on Tuesday 9 June.




The full cast comprises: Shane David-Joseph (Seldom); Ziggy Heath (Tom); Martins Imhangbe (Diamond); Roger Ringrose (Mansion); Ellen Thomas (Pearl); and Cat White (Ruby).

Set in 1950s colonial Trinidad on the brink of political independence, Driftwood is a richly atmospheric exploration of self-determination, family and belonging, capturing a community alive with change, tension and possibility.


The creative team includes: Director Justin Audibert; Set and Costume Designer Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey; Lighting Designer Simon Spencer; Composer Christella Litras; Sound Designer Tony Gayle; Movement Director Kloé Dean; Dramaturg Sebastian Born; Casting Director Matthew Dewsbury CDG

'dis is my home. My whole life. My history here. And de only future I go have is here.'


As colonial Trinidad advances towards political independence, a downtown Port of Spain gentlemen’s club becomes entangled in a different kind of custody battle.

Images - Marc Brenner 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Midsomer Murders The Killings At Badger's Drift ~ Theatre Royal, Nottingham

By Helen McWilliams
Image
  Wednesday 25 February 2026 Reviewed by Helen McWilliams  Star rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Midsomer Murders , is one of ITV's so-called cosy murder mystery television programmes based on the novels of Caroline Graham . Although if you've watched them all (I have!) then you'll know only too well that the setting may be cosy, however the body count per episode and the brutal nature of many of the murders makes for a far from cosy ambience. I'm shuddering as I type upon recalling the fate of a character called Mike Spicer in series 8 who was played by one of my all-time favourite actors, Robert Daws . Then there's the suicidal leap from the church roof for the late, great Richard Briers as Stephen Wentworth in series two. I was already familiar with The Killings At Badger's Drift as it is the very first episode of the highly successful and much loved TV drama. Would it translate on stage? I was keen to find out and my plus one on this occasion was my 12 year old son. ...
Read more

CBSO: Music From Stage and Screen ~ Friday 23 January 2026

By Helen McWilliams
Image
Birmingham undoubtedly has the best orchestra in my humble opinion and the chance to watch our local internationally acclaimed orchestra is an opportunity not to be passed up. Add Conductor Stephen Bell with soloists; Katie Birtill and Tim Howar and you know you're in for a magical evening at Symphony Hall .  The acoustics in Symphony Hall are tough to rival, the sound produced by the CBSO on Friday evening was nothing short of sublime. It was the perfect antidote to a wet, miserable and (seemingly) everlasting January! We literally felt able to leave our troubles in the car park and thoroughly enjoyed sitting back and basking in the glorious music, whether purely instrumental or accompanied by one or indeed both of the phenomenal vocalists.  It will come as no surprise that we are huge fans of music from stage and screen and there was nothing that we didn't like the look or sound of in the well chosen selection. The theme from the movie, Ladies in Lavender ,...
Read more

The BFG ~ The RSC, Stratford

By Helen McWilliams
Image
Saturday 7 February 2026 Reviewed by Helen McWilliams  Star rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 This is a belated review due to 2026 and its challenges, however its an absolute pleasure to review such an exceptional piece of theatre and hopefully encourage more theatre-goers to go and see the Roald Dahl's masterpiece at  Chichester Festival Theatre . The BFG has long been my favourite story from Dahl's extraordinary cornucopia of magnificent novels. Having read the book as a child and not being able to put it down, I am immediately drawn in when a production of any description closely resembles the magical treat I devoured on multiple occasions years ago. In The RSC's adaptation, which has been  a dapted by Tom Wells in collaboration with the additional material provided by dramaturg Jenny Worton , the scene is set simply and effectively as pictured above ( photo credit: Connor McWilliams ) and allows the imagination to wander before the action unfolds.  If you are...
Read more