Royal Court Theatre announces cast for Baghdaddy by Jasmine Naziha Jones directed by Milli Bhatia

Philip Arditti, Souad Faress, Jasmine Naziha Jones, Hayat Kamille and Noof Ousellam will perform in Baghdaddy, written by Jasmine Naziha Jones and directed by Milli Bhatia. It will run at the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs from Friday 18 November to Saturday 17 December 2022, with press night on Thursday 24 November 2022, 7pm.

Baghdaddy is designed by Moi Tran, with lighting design by Jessica Hung Han Yun, sound design by Elena Peña, movement direction by Valentina Ceschi, and assistant direction by Melina Namdar. The fight direction is by RC-Annie and the dialect coach is Edda Sharpe.

‘Congratulations! Your pain is commercially viable.’

It’s 1991 and the Gulf War rages three thousand, three hundred and twenty miles away. Darlee is 8 years old, crying behind the wheelie bookcase in Miss Stratford’s classroom. She’s just realised she’s Iraqi. Or half. Maybe both.

She saw it on the news last night after Neighbours and fish fingers. Heard the fear slipping through the receiver, saw it oozing from Dad’s eyeballs and into the living room as he tried to phone home.

What she can’t process now, she’ll be haunted by later; the spirits hounding her will make sure of that…

‘Operation Desert Storm; you won’t lose a wink of sleep over it. Except your Daddy. Your Daddy’s shitting his pants. Enjoy your Viennetta.’

Baghdaddy is a playfully devastating coming-of-age story. Told through clowning and memory, it explores the complexities of cultural identity, generational trauma and a father-daughter relationship amidst global conflict.

Jasmine Naziha Jones’s debut play was developed as part of an Introduction to Playwriting group at the Royal Court. Royal Court Associate Milli Bhatia (seven methods of killing kylie jenner) directs.

Baghdaddy has been generously supported by a lead gift from Charles Holloway. It is a co-production with SISTER.

There will be a post-show talk with Jasmine Naziha Jones on Tuesday 29 November 2022.

For the full press release, see here.