Birmingham Rep is thrilled to announce the cast of brand-new comedy drama, Community, premiering at The Rep in their early Spring season (Thursday 30 January – Saturday 8 February) in their intimate performance space, The Door.
Set in the heart of Birmingham, Community is a play exploring identity and belonging, and friendship created by Birmingham-born writer Farrah Chaudhry, alumni of The Rep’s highly acclaimed artist development programme, The Foundry.
Local actor, Sabrina Nabi takes on the role of Zoya – a pampered young woman from Edgbaston, struggling with a lack of purpose and her parents finally cutting her off financially. Kerena Jagpal takes on the role of Leyla – Zoya’s hardworking and dependable friend who dedicates her time to helping others. She lives in Balsall Heath with her housemate Khalil, a Syrian refugee, played by Sayyid Aki.
Sayyid will be making his professional stage debut on this production whereas Sabrina and Kerena are returning performers to The Rep, both taking part in Sky Comedy Rep (Kerena in 2022 and Sabrina in 2023) and the Kali Writers Discovery Showcase earlier this year.
When Zoya’s parents cut her off, she turns to old friend Leyla for help. Comedy ensues when Zoya is forced to start volunteering at the community centre and actually start thinking about others for once.
Things are going well until Zoya lets Leyla down at a talent contest at the community centre, just as her parents offer her the opportunity to go back home. Will Zoya bite their hand off or will she stay and fix things with Leyla?
Farrah Chaudhry said: “I wanted to tell a story that celebrated brown and Muslim people at a time where we are constantly degraded and dehumanised. I wanted to show characters who were fun, funny, flawed, human, complex, kind, and on journeys of healing, loved and loving, rather than how we are often portrayed on TV, film or stage.
“This play is a love letter to Birmingham too, celebrating all that we are in community – something that’s been really important to me recently.”
Community will be staged in The Rep’s most intimate performance space, The Door, before going on a 2-week community tour to West Midlands library, school and community venues.
The production is also aiming to be a Green Book sustainably made theatre production. Green Book productions are part of a theatre industry initiative to tackle climate change from waste reduction to printing posters on recycled paper.