The theatre production Moon On A Rainbow Shawl, a drama about a collection of Trinidadian people and their personal lives, loves and losses, comes to Malvern Theatres this February and March

“In Port of Spain, Trinidad, the snatches of calypso music, hymn tunes and drums are interrupted by the raucous celebrations of troops returning from war. Here, neighbours drink, brawl, make love, look out for each other and crave a better life. But Ephraim is no dreamer and nothing, not even the seductive Rosa, is going to stop him escaping his dead-end job for a fresh start in England.”

Directed by Artistic Director Michael Buffong, the production features actress Martina Laird as Sophie, Jude Akuwudike as Charlie and Ray Emmet Brown as Prince. Also reprising their roles from the 2012 production are Trevor Michael Georges as Ketch, Tahirah Sharif as Esther, and Burt Caesar as old Mack.

Joining the cast for the 2014 tour are Shaun Blackstock, Ozzie Morro, Bethan Mary-James, Alisha Bailey, and Samuel Lloyd.

Martina Laird is best known for her role as Comfort Jones in the BBC series Casualty. Other TV credits include Coronation Street, Missing, Shameless, My Family and A Touch of Frost. For stage she has appeared in the National Theatre productions of Moon on a Rainbow Shawl and The Five Wives of Maurice Pinder, and for the RSC she has appeared in The White Devil, Three Hours After Marriage, and Troilus and Cressida.

Moon On A Rainbow Shawl is directed by Talawa Theatre Company’s Artistic Director Michael Buffong whose theatre credits include the Talawa/Royal Exchange Theatre production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons (Royal Exchange, Manchester), God’s Property (Talawa/Soho Theatre), The Serpent’s Tooth (Talawa/Almeida Theatre), and the multi award-winning productions of A Raisin In The Sun and Private Lives (Royal Exchange Theatre).

Talawa Theatre Company is the UK’s primary black-led theatre company. Led by Artistic Director Michael Buffong, Talawa aims to create work informed by the wealth and diversity of the Black British experience, invest in talent, build audiences and inspire dialogue with and within communities across Britain.

The play will be performed from February 25 to March 1.