Snookered (Reading)
LIVE READING: SNOOKERED by ISHY DIN
Read by: UMAR BUTT, SHAHBAAZ KHAN, SOROOSH LAVASANI & ROBIN RAVI
Directed by PAUL JAMES
A rare chance to experience renowned Middlesbrough playwright Ishy Din’s debut play about young men who meet in a snooker hall to commemorate the death of their friend.
On the sixth anniversary of T’s death, his four friends meet as they always do for a game of pool and a few drinks. As they excavate the past and measure their own lives against T’s, secrets are revealed and allegiances shift as quickly as the drinks are downed. Can they put to rest the guilt they feel over T’s untimely death? And will their friendship survive the final betrayal?
Ishy Din’s razor-sharp play provides a timely window into the lives of these young British Muslims – part of a ‘snookered’ generation – burdened by cultural expectations yet charged with personal dreams.
Umar Butt
Umar is an award-winning Performer, Writer, Director and a Theatre Maker of colour. Born in Pakistan, brought up in Glasgow, and for the past 13 years an honorary Smoggie! Umar was also a co-founder of Bijli, a theatre company focused on creating work to encourage diversity across cultures and art forms for Scottish and UK communities, and beyond. Bijli was the inaugural company in residence at National Theatre of Scotland. As a first generation migrant, Umar is passionate about exploring, learning and sharing global human stories of belonging, family, community and displacement, closer to home.
Recent Acting Credits: 'What Is Love. These Are Our Neighbours' (Katharine Williams). 'Tin Foil Astronaut' (Kitchen Zoo). 'HOME' (Christopher Green). 'Department of Distractions and Distraction Agents' (Third Angel).
His writing credits include: 'What is Love. Welcome to the Jungle'; 'SARA' (best book, and show for diverse young audiences, critics award UK Mela 2020); 'Bird in the Window' (Kala Sangam, Bradford); 'Henna' (Middlesbrough Council commission); 'The Village' (Diwali, ARC Stockton commission); 'Alex & Eliza' (which made The Stage’s top 5 shows in Nov 2019). Co-wrote 'How To Make A Killing in Bollywood' (Second place North East new writing. Toured nationally following its success at the Edinburgh Fringe); 'Sylhety' (Bangladesh).
Shahbaaz Khan
Shahbaaz is an actor from the North East. He began his acting journey at Live Theatre’s Youth Theatre and went on to graduate from the acting course at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts where he was awarded a scholarship. Since graduating, he has gained a place on Open Door’s Elevate Programme, which selects a handful of emerging graduates from the top drama schools and provides them with further access to the industry.. Shahbaaz’s recent credits include 'Doctors' (BBC); 'Macbeth' (Leeds Playhouse); 'Road' (Northern Stage); 'Between the Stripes' (Alphabetti Theatre) 'Shakespeare in Love' (Mountview); 'START' (Mountview).
Soroosh Lavasani
Credits include:
Assef in Uk Production's Tour, ‘The Kite Runner’.
Chris in Mischief Theatres 'Peter Pan Goes Wrong. Gary in The Custom House's 'Our Laygate'.
Soon to feature in Amazon and Blumhouse feature film 'House Of Spoils'.
Graduated from LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Drama)
Robin Ravi
Robin Ravi is an actor originally from Peckham in South London. Before moving to Newcastle, he has studied at multiple institutions for 5 years in regards to acting and performing arts, places such as Newcastle College, Identity School of Acting in London (IDSA), and has graduated from Project A Theatre Royal Newcastle. The recent projects he has performed in include 'Welcome to the Jungle' at Stockton Arc a story involving the collision of 2 real-world pains, 'Santa Must Die' at Alphabetti Theatre a story tackling the capitalist chaos of Christmas and a piece called 'His Name Was' a piece dedicated to parts of his childhood which he wrote and performed at Alphabetti Theatre. Robin has also written and performed music through video and live performances at venues such as the 02 Academy.
