The Great Extension

Theatre Royal Stratford East brings a comedy play for our time to its stage this Autumn. Hassan, a second generation Turk, leads a blissful, if somewhat eccentric bachelor life in London's suburbs. The building work on his extension is progressing well despite legal threats from his reactionary neighbour; and his father's wealth ensures gainful employment does not interfere too much in a life replete with wine, women and self-imposed amnesia.

That is until he wakes up one morning to the devastating realisation that something happened the night before that could have the direst consequences for him and his care-free lifestyle; something he... just can't quite remember!

Like any great farce, events soon spiral out of control as two families with very different Muslim beliefs clash, and insults and accusations start to fly. Throw in a transgender Asian houseboy, a politically correct Policeman and an Englishman convinced that every Hijab hides a terrorist and things can only go from bad to worse.

The Great Extension was written by Cosh Omar. Cosh’s last show at Theatre Royal Stratford East was The Battle of Green Lanes (2004), a prophetic play about the spread of Islamic fundamentalism in Britain’s urban melting pots which drew world-wide media attention with both CNN and Al-Jazeera filming in the building.

Directing the show will be Theatre Royal Stratford East’s artistic director Kerry Michael, joined by the creative team of designer Yannis Thavoris; assistant director Matthew Blacklock; lighting designer Prema Mehta and sound designer Theo Holloway.

Joining the cast will be Dimitri Andreas, Faraz Ayub, Carol Been, Ben Bennett, Jack Chissick, Amerjit Deu, Akin Gazi, Raj Ghatak, Jacob Krichefski, Cosh Omar, Sharona Sassoon and Ruby Visaria.

The Great Extension is at Theatre Royal Statford East from 16 October until 14 November at 7.30pm.

Address: Theatre Royal Stratford East Gerry Raffles Square, Stratford, London, E15 1BN
Box office: 020 8534 0310