Ashley Zhangazha to star in ‘Changing Destiny’ at Young Vic

The play, inspired by Egyptian poetry, reopens the London venue next month.

UPDATE: All performances of Changing Destiny from 9 - 23 July are cancelled, due to urgent repair work at the Young Vic. Changing Destiny will now begin performances from 24 July.

Following news that the Young Vic will reopen its doors for live audiences next month, casting for the first show, Changing Destiny, has been named. Ashley Zhangazha and Joan Iyola will star in the new work, with Changing Destiny at the Young Vic from 9 July - 21 August.

Ben Okri's Changing Destiny is an adaptation of a 4,0000 year old Egyptian poem about Sinuhe, the Warrior Debut. Kwame Kwei-Armah directs the piece, which will see two actors multi-role over 1,000 characters.

Ashley Zhangazha will star, with London credits including Tina - The Tina Turner Musical. At the Young Vic, he was previously in Ah Wilderness.

Joan Iyola will also appear in Changing Destiny, recently in The Duchess of Malfi at the Almeida Theatre.

The creative team for Changing Destiny includes scenic and costume design by Sir David Adjaye and Adjaye Associates, lighting design by Jackie Shemesh and sound design by XANA.

Changing Destiny will also be streamed for remote audiences, with further details to be confirmed. In an interview with The Guardian, the Young Vic artistic director Kwame Kwei-Armah said that: "plans to livestream all of its future productions...".

Changing Destiny is at the Young Vic from 9 July - 21 August.

^{Photo credit: Ashley Zhangazha and Joan Iyola (Photos courtesy of Ashley Zhangazha and by Helen Murray respectively)}