English Touring Theatre and Papatango’s UK tour of Iman Qureshi’s The Funeral Director, an exploration of a gay Muslim woman coming to terms with her identity directed by Hannah Hauer-King, comes to HOME in Manchester, Wed 27 – Sat 30 March 2019.
Winner of Papatango’s 10th annual New Writing Prize from 1,384 entries, the original production was premièred by Papatango at Southwark Playhouse last autumn and now embarks on a UK tour in a co-production with ETT in Spring 2019.
Life as the director of a Muslim funeral parlour isn’t always easy, but Ayesha has things pretty sorted. She and Zeyd share everything: a marriage, a business, a future. But when Tom walks in to organise his boyfriend’s funeral, a snap moral
decision, informed by the values of Ayesha’s community and faith, has profound consequences. Forced to confront a secret she has hidden even from herself, Ayesha must decide who she is – no matter the cost.
Hannah Hauer-King directs Edward Stone (Tom), Assad Zaman (Zeyd) and Francesca Zoutewelle (Janey), joining returning cast member Aryana Ramkhalawon (Ayesha) in this incisive and heartfelt story of sexuality, gender and religion in 21st century Britain.
Iman Qureshi, Artistic Director and co-founder of all-female theatre company Damsel Productions, made her full-length debut with The Funeral Director. She has had short plays or limited runs commissioned or produced by Tamasha, Kalí Theatre, Purple Moon Drama and the BBC. As a member of Tamasha Playwrights and Soho Theatre’s Writers Lab, her short play, His and Hers, was produced as part of Tamasha’s New Muslim Voices. Qureshi has also written for The Guardian, Independent, Time Out and the Huffington Post, and been writer-in-residence at various schools. She was shortlisted for the Muslim Writer’s Award in 2011 and the Tony Craze Award in 2017.
PERFORMANCE CALENDAR
Wed 27 March 2019, 19:45 (press night performance, followed by cast and crew Q&A)
Thu 28 March 2019, 19:45
Fri 29 March 2019, 19:45 (Captioned performance)
Sat 30 March 2019, 19:45 (Audio-Described performance)
Tickets £12.50 (concessions £5, £10.50).
