Sheffield Theatres to adapt The Last King of Scotland and Matt Haig's Reasons to Stay Alive

The Last King of Scotland is being brought to the stage by Steve Waters as part of a new season of work at Sheffield Theatres, which will also see Matt Haig’s book Reasons to Stay Alive adapted by the venue.

Waters will adapt The Last King of Scotland in a production directed by Gbolahan Obisesan, which will open in September at Sheffield’s Crucible.

It is the first stage adaptation of Giles Foden’s novel, which is set during Idi Amin’s self-declared presidency of Uganda and inspired the Oscar-winning film of the same name.

Meanwhile, Haig’s book will be adapted by April de Angelis and directed by Jonathan Watkins. It will premiere in the studio in September, co-produced with English Touring Theatre.

The Sheffield season also includes a Christmas production of Guys and Dolls, directed by artistic director Robert Hastie, and a revival of Charlotte Keatley’s My Mother Said I Never Should, presented in British Sign Language and spoken English by Sheffield Theatres and Fingersmiths.

Also announced is the cast for Lolita Chakrabarti’s adaptation of Life of Pi. It will be led by Hiran Abeysekera, who will play the title character in the production, directed by Max Webster.

Elsewhere, further details have been announced for the forthcoming tour of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, which began life at Sheffield Theatres before transferring to the West End.

The show will return to Sheffield in 2020 for a three-week run ahead of the tour.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’s Layton Williams: ‘I came to slay. I’ve got what you want or I wouldn’t be here’

Season at a glance

Life of Pi by Yann Martel, adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti
Directed by Max Webster
June 28 to July 20, with press night on July 8
Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig, adapted by April de Angelis
Directed by Jonathan Watkins
September 13 to 28, with press night on September 18

The Last King of Scotland by Giles Foden, adapted by Steve Waters
Directed by Gbolahan Obisesan
September 27 to October 19, with press night on October 1

My Mother Said I Never Should by Charlotte Keatley
Directed by Jeni Draper
November 8 to 23, with press night on November 12

Guys and Dolls by Frank Loesser, Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
Directed by Robert Hastie
December 7 to January 18, with press night on December 12

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie by Dan Gillespie Sells and Tom MacRae
Directed b Jonathan Butterell
February 8 to 29, 2020