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| Kwame Kwei-Armah named new artistic director of Young Vic | Kwame Kwei-Armah named new artistic director of Young Vic |
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| Kwame Kwei-Armah, the actor turned award-winning British playwright, has been announced as the new artistic director of the Young Vic in London. Kwei-Armah, who is currently the director of Baltimore’s Center Stage, will take over the prestigious theatre role next year. | |
| Kwei-Armah wrote his first play, Bitter Herb, in 1998 and went on to be only the second black British playwright to have his work on at the West End, with his play Elmina’s Kitchen, which grappled with family and crime in Hackney’s so-called murder mile. | Kwei-Armah wrote his first play, Bitter Herb, in 1998 and went on to be only the second black British playwright to have his work on at the West End, with his play Elmina’s Kitchen, which grappled with family and crime in Hackney’s so-called murder mile. |
| He will take over from David Lan, who will have been director of the Young Vic for 18 years when he steps down next year. Lan described the choice of Kwei-Amah to be his successor as “inspired”. | He will take over from David Lan, who will have been director of the Young Vic for 18 years when he steps down next year. Lan described the choice of Kwei-Amah to be his successor as “inspired”. |
| “To walk into the Young Vic is to come face to face with everything I love about theatre, so I am beyond humbled, if not a little scared,” Kwei-Armah said. “But to lead this magnificent theatre at this time in our nation’s history, after such a visionary as David, excites me beyond words. I can’t wait to get started.” | “To walk into the Young Vic is to come face to face with everything I love about theatre, so I am beyond humbled, if not a little scared,” Kwei-Armah said. “But to lead this magnificent theatre at this time in our nation’s history, after such a visionary as David, excites me beyond words. I can’t wait to get started.” |
| Kwei-Armah has held his role at Center Stage in Baltimore since 2011. His plays Elmina’s Kitchen, Fix Up and Statement of Regret were all staged at the National Theatre, and he has directed works in both the UK and the US, with his production of One Night in Miami at the Donmar Warehouse nominated for an Olivier award for best new play in 2016. He will also direct a new version of Ibsen’s The Lady from the Sea at the Donmar in October. | |
| Raised in Southall, west London, he changed his name from Ian Roberts when he was 19 after tracing his family roots through the slave trade to Ghana. His experiences of growing up in Southall during the riots and witnessing the police and skinhead brutality against the black and Asian community had a profound effect on him, and formed the basis of his first play. | Raised in Southall, west London, he changed his name from Ian Roberts when he was 19 after tracing his family roots through the slave trade to Ghana. His experiences of growing up in Southall during the riots and witnessing the police and skinhead brutality against the black and Asian community had a profound effect on him, and formed the basis of his first play. |
| His first major TV role was as paramedic Finlay Newton in Casualty between 1999 and 2004, and it was during this time he gained prestige as one of Britain’s best emerging playwrights and directors. He was the chancellor of the University of the Arts London from 2010-15, and in 2012 was awarded an OBE for services to drama. | His first major TV role was as paramedic Finlay Newton in Casualty between 1999 and 2004, and it was during this time he gained prestige as one of Britain’s best emerging playwrights and directors. He was the chancellor of the University of the Arts London from 2010-15, and in 2012 was awarded an OBE for services to drama. |
| Patrick McKenna, chair of the Young Vic board, said that after meeting Kwei-Armah, the panel was “unanimous in its decision to appoint him as the next leader for this remarkable institution”. | Patrick McKenna, chair of the Young Vic board, said that after meeting Kwei-Armah, the panel was “unanimous in its decision to appoint him as the next leader for this remarkable institution”. |
| McKenna added: “Kwame’s wealth of experience directing, writing and working with the local community in Baltimore and beyond will translate beautifully to his new role leading the work on the Young Vic’s three stages as well as its pioneering outreach and education work in London.” | McKenna added: “Kwame’s wealth of experience directing, writing and working with the local community in Baltimore and beyond will translate beautifully to his new role leading the work on the Young Vic’s three stages as well as its pioneering outreach and education work in London.” |