We are delighted to confirm the cast for our Christmas 2012 production of Dominic Cooke’s adaptation of Arabian Nights, which opens at The Lowry in Salford on Friday 30 November, directed by Manchester Evening News Theatre Award-winning director Amy Leach.
Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi, known to millions as machinist-turned farm-shop owner Leyla Harding in ITV’s Emmerdale, and a former member of Contact Theatre’s Young Actors’ Company in Manchester, will head the cast as Shahrazad.
Mitesh Soni, who appeared as Etash in the National Theatre’s acclaimed production of Ayub Khan-Din’s Rafta Rafta in 2010, appears as Ali Baba; Paul Barnhill, who achieved notoriety when he played racist villain Josh Carter in Brookside in 1999, appears for the third Christmas running with the Library Theatre Company as Abu Hassan; Emilio Doorgasingh, who crops up regularly as Imam Ali in BBC1’s EastEnders, takes the role of Shahrayer; and Kezrena James plays Dinarzad.
Jo Mousley, fresh from taking a number of parts in Phil McIntyre’s tour of Corrie!, and well known to local theatre-goers from appearances at Oldham Coliseum and with M6 Theatre Company, plays Marjanah; Tachia Newall, seen in summer 2012 in the Library Theatre Company’s well-received production of Jackie Kay’s Manchester Lines, plays Kassim; Claire Storey, with credits to her name in ITV’s Coronation Street, Emmerdale, and BBC1’s Doctors, amongst others, plays Mrs Baba; while finally, Mark Carlisle plays Vizier. In addition, the cast will take on a number of other parts in the production.
Arabian Nights runs from Friday 30 November 2012 to Saturday 12 January 2013. Tickets are available here. Arabian Nights is sponsored by Manchester Airport.