We today announce with Theatre Centre the cast for our co-production of new play Dizzy, written by Olivier-nominated Mohamed-Zain Dada (Blue Mist) and directed once again by Rob Watt (Wish You Weren’t Here,Birds and Bees).
Brendan Barclay (The Importance of Being…Earnest?) will play the role of Stax and Sera Mustafa (Crackers) will play the role of Qamar, while Sex Education’s Reda Elazouar will provide the voice of Dizzy. All cast members make their Sheffield Theatres debut with Dizzy.
‘I never knew you did Graff. I wish you told me. I’m thinking you might have spiralled.’
Qamar, 15-year-old maths genius, looks for patterns in everything. Desperate for answers following her brother’s death, she meets Stax, infamous graffiti artist and her brother’s mentor. Under Stax’s guidance she dives into the underground world of street art, and discovers the dream-like space known as the Axis. As she navigates her memories through the art her brother loved, she uncovers hidden layers of her brother’s life and her own, forging unbreakable bonds that defy mortality.
Dizzy uses an innovative soundscape, transmitted through provided headphones, in a captivating blend of technology and storytelling.
Writer Mohamed-Zain Dada said:
“It's been a brilliant process of looking into graffiti culture in London (working with writers like BOPA), director Rob and young people from across England. One of the striking things a graffiti writer told me through the process of developing this show was that 'tagging is like a love letter to a space or building in some ways, a mediation on impermanence' and I think this idea of reckoning with impermanence is really what sits at the heart of this play.”
Director and Artistic Director of Theatre Centre Rob Watt added:
“In collaboration with hundreds of young people across England, Zain has created a story that truly resonates. Dizzy is a magical adventure that speaks to the profound losses many young people experience post-pandemic. Through immersive sound design by the sonic genius Mwen, we aim to transport our audience deep into the heart of the story.”
Mohamed-Zain Dada is Theatre Centre’s Resident Writer and the idea for the show was developed through conversations with hundreds of students in schools and communities across Lewisham, Crawley and Sheffield to ensure that it speaks to current times. Throughout the development of the script, he has been in R&D with young people all over the country, including in schools and with National Youth Theatre.
Dizzy is a fantastical adventure exploring memory and mortality, graffiti and grief, and finding meaning amidst the chaos. Co-produced by Theatre Centre and Sheffield Theatres, this world premiere production opens at Sheffield Theatres’ Playhouse and in schools across the South Yorkshire region, before touring to Crawley, Hackney, and schools across the country.
Tickets for Dizzy are on sale now. Tickets can be booked through the Box Office in person, over the phone on 0114 249 6000 or at the link below.
