First performance 8 October 1996 | Playwright Ayub Khan-Din | |
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Characters George Khan, Ella Khan, Auntie Annie, Maneer Khan Similar Rafta - Rafta, The Ruling Class, If You Kiss Me - Kiss Me, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, The Hothouse | ||
East is East is a 1996 play by Ayub Khan-Din, first produced by Tamasha Theatre Company in co-production with the Royal Court and Birmingham Repertory Theatre. It is often cited as one of the key works to bring Asian culture to mainstream British audiences. The play is published by Nick Hern Books.
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History
The play was first performed at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre Studio on 8 October 1996, before enjoying three sell-out London runs and an Olivier Award nomination for Best New Comedy.
East is East went on to be made into a BAFTA award-winning film of the same name released in 1999, launching the careers of many of the play's original cast members.
A new production of the play starring Jane Horrocks and directed by Sam Yates will be staged at the Trafalgar Studios starting in October 2014 as part of Jamie Lloyd's second Trafalgar Transformed season.