FOR BLACK BOYS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE WHEN THE HUE GETS TOO HEAVY IN RARE OFF WEST END TRANSFER FROM NEW DIORAMA THEATRE TO DOWNSTAIRS AT ROYAL COURT
Today, New Diorama Theatre and Nouveau Riche announce the transfer of their co-production For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy by Ryan Calais Cameron to play in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre from 31st March – 30th April 2022. This marks one of the very few productions ever to transfer directly from an Off-West End theatre into the prestigious Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs in the Royal Court Theatre’s 66 year history.
Commissioned as part of New Diorama’s Tenth Anniversary Season, the show’s landmark transfer further establishes New Diorama as the UK’s most bold and pioneering supporter of independent theatre companies. The timely announcement comes as New Diorama is also currently shortlisted for The Stage Fringe Theatre of the Year 2022.
For Nouveau Riche it continues the meteoric rise of a company who have been increasingly winning awards and international acclaim for their productions, including Typical and Queens of Sheba.
For Black Boys Who Have considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavywas one of the first shows to be made at New Diorama’s revolutionary Post-Lockdown artist recovery hub NDT Broadgate, where Nouveau Riche are Associates. Launched in 2021 as brand new 20,000 square foot rehearsal and development complex, NDT Broadgate is gifted entirely free as a radical gesture to support independent artists get back on their feet.
After the show’s total sell-out run at New Diorama in October-November 2021, which saw ticket queues every night, For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy will now transform the Royal Court Theatre’s stage into a “Black boy fantasia” blending movement, music, story-telling, and verse in a kaleidoscope of Black male mental health. Rich with honesty and insight, the show was developed with support from co-commissioner Boundless Theatre as part of their Accelerator programme.
Co-directed by Ryan Calais Cameron and Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu, the original cast (Emmanuel Akwafo, Mark Akintimehin, Nnabiko Ejimofor, Darragh Hand, Aruna Jalloh and Kaine Lawrence) will all perform in the transferred production.
Playwright and Nouveau Riche artistic director Ryan Calais Cameron said: “After 10 years of writing and developing ‘For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy’ it was remarkable to experience these stories at New Diorama. This transfer will be a huge cultural event and landmark for Nouveau Riche and our community, to see the words ‘For Black Boys…’ in bright lights in the centre of Sloane Square.”
David Byrne, Artistic Director of New Diorama Theatre, said “Nouveau Riche and Artistic Director Ryan Calais Cameron broke all our box office records with our co-production of For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy, so it feels right they break even more records – being one of the few shows ever to transfer straight from an Off-West End theatre to Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre. I’m delighted NDT is going along for the ride, with a front row seat to watch this exceptional company take over the world.”