The Long Song opens at Chichester Festival Theatre

The world premiere of Suhayla El-Bushra’s adaptation of The Long Song by Andrea Levy will run at Chichester Festival Theatre from October 1-23, directed by Charlotte Gwinner.

July is born into slavery in Jamaica and is brutally parted from both her mother and her name. But what she retains is resilience, charisma and a subversive, spirited wit. This ebullient and life-affirming play finds humanity, resistance and hope in the darkest of times, the CFT promises.

Tara Tijani makes her professional debut as July having graduated from Guildhall School of Music & Drama this year.

Llewella Gideon plays Old July, and Olivia Poulet plays Caroline Mortimer. The company also includes Ben Adams (as Tam Dewar/Charles Wyndham), Cecilia Appiah (Miss Clara), Andrew Bridgmont (John Howarth/Baptist Minister), Leonard Buckley (Robert Goodwin), Pérola Congo (Miss Bessie/Molly), Miranda Foster (Elizabeth Wyndham), Trevor Laird (Dublin/Godfrey), Syrus Lowe (Thomas/Nimrod), Chris Machari (Cornet/Musician), Mohammed Mansaray (Boy/Ezra), Rebecca Omogbehin (Kitty) and Carol Walton (Miss Rose).

The Long Song is adapted from Andrea Levy’s award-winning novel by Suhayla El-Bushra, formerly writer in residence at the National Theatre Studio and whose work includes the forthcoming Waking/Walking, part of the NW Trilogy (Kiln Theatre), The Suicide (NT), Arabian Nights (Lyceum, Edinburgh), and Channel 4’s Hollyoaks and Ackley Bridge.

Llewella Gideon plays Old July; her many TV credits include Small Axe – Mangrove, The Real McCoy and Absolutely Fabulous.

Olivia Poulet (Caroline Mortimer) previously appeared at Chichester in Fred’s Diner and Top Girls; her TV credits include The Thick of It.

cft.org.uk; 01243 781312.