Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph returns to Hampstead Theatre this autumn with the UK premiere of King James directed by Alice Hamilton. This remarkably moving new play about the friendship between two men thrown together by chance and their mutual passion for basketball and the great ‘King’ LeBron James plays Hampstead Downstairs from 15 November to 4 January.

The cast comprises Sam Mitchell as Matt, whose theatre credits include To Kill A Mockingbird (West End) and My Beautiful Laundrette (Leicester Curve) and Ényì Okoronkwo as Shawn, whose theatre credits include The Haystack (Hampstead Theatre) and Tartuffe (National Theatre) with screen credits including Renegade Nell and Giri/Haji.

Alice Hamilton director says:

“King James is a story of male friendship and about how people can be united by sport even if they’ve nothing else in common. It both is and isn’t about basketball and we hope the uninitiated will find just as much to enjoy as die-hard fans. Rajiv Joseph brilliantly takes us on an emotional rollercoaster ride, capturing the highs and lows of fandom in a wonderfully moving play about forging human connections and lifelong friendships.”

Multi-award-winner Rajiv Joseph previous plays include Describe the Night (Hampstead), Guards at the Taj (Bush) and Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (Broadway).

King James will feature design by Good Teeth, lighting design by Matt Haskins and sound design by Max Pappenheim.

 

King James plays Hampstead Downstairs from 15 November to 4 January.

 

BOOK KING JAMES HERE