Skip to main content

Small Island

By Andrea Levy

Year staged: 2019

Opening night: 17/04/2019

Theatre Company: National Theatre; 1963-

Staged in: Olivier Theatre, National Theatre

Cast Size: 24

Synopsis

Small Island embarks on a journey from Jamaica to Britain, through the Second World War to 1948 – the year the HMT Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury. The play follows three intricately connected stories: Hortense yearns for a new life away from rural Jamaica, Gilbert dreams of becoming a lawyer, and Queenie longs to escape her Lincolnshire roots. Hope and humanity meet stubborn reality as the play traces the tangled history between Jamaica and the UK.

Find the script

Small Island

Publisher: Nick Hern Books

Year published: 2019

Original Cast

Leah Harvey

Hortense

Sandra James-Young

Miss Jewel

Thea Day

Supernumary

Tricia Wey

Supernumary

Trevor Laird

GI / Kenneth / Mr Phillip

Jacqueline Boatswain

Miss Ma

Mary Tillet

Supernumary

CJ Beckford

Michael

David Fielder

Arthur

Alice Langrish

Supernumary

Andrew Rothney

Bernard

Aisling Loftus

Queenie

Beatie Edney

Aunt Dorothy / Miss Todd / Mrs Buxton / Woman with Baby

Stephanie Jacob

Woman in Cinema

John Hastings

Foreman / GI / Recruiting Officer / Understudy: Bernard

Cavan Clarke

GI / Railway Worker

Phoebe Frances-Brown

Franny

Gershwyn Eustace Jnr

Gilbert

Shiloh Coke

Celia / Understudy: Miss Jewel / Understudy: Woman

Natey Jones

GI / Policeman / Understudy: Gilbert

CJ Johnson

Usherette

Paul Bentall

Military Policeman / Railway Worker / Recruiting Officer / Soames / Understudy: Arthur

Chereen Buckley

Woman in Hurricane / Understudy: Hortense / Understudy: Miss Ma

Amy Forrest

Mrs Ryder

Production Team

Rufus Norris

Director

Andrea Levy

Writer

Helen Edmundson

Adaptor

Paul Anderson

Lighting Designer

Jon Driscoll

Projection Designer

Kate Waters

Fight Director

Shane Thom

Stage Manager

Ian Dickinson

Sound Designer

Emma Pile

Project Draughting

Rachel Dickson

Costume Supervisor

Francesca Reidy

Assistant Stage Manager

Daniel Bennett-Radley

Digital Art

Ashley Holtom

Assistant Costume Supervisor

Rebecca Johnston

Prop Supervisor

Ben Donoghue

Deputy Stage Manager

Brinkhoff/Mögenburg

Production Photographer

Alex Caplan

Production Sound Engineer

Renata Hill

Wigs, Hair and Make-Up Supervisor

Sian Willis

Prop Buyer

Jo Phipps

Assistant Stage Manager

Nadene Wheatley

Lighting Programmer

Jeannette Nelson

Company Voice Work

Ian Cooper

Scenic Art Supervisor

Constance Oak

Assistant Stage Manager

Tariq Rifaat

Production Manager

Fran Miller

Project Producer

Riche Tarr

Rigging Supervisor

Coral Messam

Movement Director

Hazel Holder

Dialect Coach

Duncan Weir

Automation

Jack Williams

Lighting Supervisor

Matt / Matthew Morgans

Video Supervisor

Laura Cubitt

Puppetry

Barrie Nield

Construction Supervisor

Curtis Chadwick

Sound Operator

Mica Taylor

Assistant Stage Manager

Barry Peavot

Stage Supervisor

Jess Walsh

Prop Making Consultant

Isabella Odoffin

Casting

Gary Crosby

Music Consultant

Mollie Tuttle

Production Video Engineer

Gemma Harrison

Video Operator

Verity Naughton

Casting (Children)

Michael Ager

Deputy Production Manager

James Lye

Lighting Operator

Katrina Lindsay

Set and Costume Designer

Gino Ricardo Green

Associate Projection Designer

Marc Tritschler

Music Supervisor

Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey

Associate Set and Costume Designer

Anna Himali Howard

Staff Director

Shiloh Coke

Associate Music Director

Benjamin Kwasi Burrell

Composer and Rehearsal Music Director

Gemma Carrington

Animator

Paul Anderson

Lighting Designer

Additional Materials

Link to Cueing and Blocking Scripts

Cueing and Blocking Scripts

Ref: RNT/SM/1/946

National Theatre

Link to Show Reports

Show Reports

Ref: RNT/SM/2/4/254

National Theatre

Link to Posters

Posters

Ref: RNT/PP/2/3/416

National Theatre

Link to Posters

Posters

Ref: RNT/PP/2/3/413

National Theatre

Link to Press Releases

Press Releases

Ref: RNT/PR/2/5/938

National Theatre

Link to Press Releases

Press Releases

Ref: RNT/PR/2/5/933

National Theatre

Link to Press Releases

Press Releases

Ref: RNT/PR/2/5/931

National Theatre

Link to Press Coverage

Press Coverage

Ref: RNT/PR/4/2/63

National Theatre

Link to Press Reviews

Press Reviews

Ref: RNT/PR/4/1/1199

National Theatre

Link to Show Talk

Show Talk

Ref: RNT/E/6/3/86

National Theatre

Link to Video Recording

Video Recording

Ref: RNT/D/1/1/79

National Theatre

Link to Talk Recording

Talk Recording

Ref: RNT/E/6/3/82

National Theatre

Link to Talk Recording

Talk Recording

Ref: RNT/E/6/3/80

National Theatre

Link to Talk Recording

Talk Recording

Ref: RNT/E/6/3/79

National Theatre

Link to Talk Recording

Talk Recording

Ref: RNT/E/6/3/78

National Theatre

Link to Costume Photographs

Costume Photographs

Ref: RNT/CO/2/50

National Theatre

Link to Costume Descriptions

Costume Descriptions

Ref: RNT/CO/5/77

National Theatre

Link to Posters

Posters

Ref: RNT/PP/2/3/379

National Theatre

Link to Background Pack

Background Pack

Ref: RNT/E/3/3/207

National Theatre

Link to Costume Designs

Costume Designs

Ref: RNT/CO/6/23

National Theatre

Link to Production Photographs

Production Photographs

Ref: RNT/PR/3/1017

National Theatre

Link to Rehearsal Photographs

Rehearsal Photographs

Ref: RNT/PP/5/583

National Theatre

Link to Costume File

Costume File

Ref: RNT/CO/1/797a

National Theatre

Link to Costume File

Costume File

Ref: RNT/CO/1/797b

National Theatre

Link to Cast List

Cast List

Ref: RNT/PP/3/9/2/136

National Theatre

Link to Programme

Programme

Ref: RNT/PP/1/3/353

National Theatre

Link to Set Photographs

Set Photographs

Ref: RNT/PO/5/344

National Theatre

Contact Us

Help improve this page

Do you have information about this or other productions that could help improve our records?