THIS EVENT HAS PASSED

GEORGE

WRITTEN BY LÉA DES GARETS
DIRECTED BY RUTE COSTA
PRESENTED BY MQT PRODUCTIONS
IN ASSOCIATION WITH EXCHANGE THEATRE
WITH THE SUPPORT OF INSTITUT FRANÇAIS DU ROYAUME-UNI
1839. French writer George Sand defies all rules through what she writes, what she wears and who she f*cks. But what will she sacrifice to be truly seen?

Marseille, France. 1839. When famous disobedient writer George Sand finds herself at a creative standstill, with an empty wallet, her desperate need for an idea leads her quill to the most intimate and dangerous place she has ever explored: herself. Embarking on her most daring work yet with her play “Gabriel”, she is caught in a perfect storm between her lovers, her queerness and others’ expectations.

How far will she have to bend to make her story heard?

Friday 28 JUN:

Post show panel night

“Performing Identity: Theatre, Migration, and Cultural Exchange” with Gustavo Dias-Vallejo and Ewa Emini representing PROJEKT EUROPA and David Furlong representing Migrants in Theatre.

Wednesday 3 JUL:

Post show Q&A with the cast
Writer Léa des Garets and Director Rute Costa 

25 JUN – 14 JUL
19:30 (TUE-SAT)
16:00 (SUN)
£18 STANDARD
£16 CONCESSION
£10 PREVIEWS

GEORGE

WRITTEN BY LÉA DES GARETS
DIRECTED BY RUTE COSTA
PRESENTED BY MQT PRODUCTIONS
IN ASSOCIATION WITH EXCHANGE THEATRE
WITH THE SUPPORT OF INSTITUT FRANÇAIS DU ROYAUME-UNI
1839. French writer George Sand defies all rules through what she writes, what she wears and who she f*cks. But what will she sacrifice to be truly seen?

Marseille, France. 1839. When famous disobedient writer George Sand finds herself at a creative standstill, with an empty wallet, her desperate need for an idea leads her quill to the most intimate and dangerous place she has ever explored: herself. Embarking on her most daring work yet with her play “Gabriel”, she is caught in a perfect storm between her lovers, her queerness and others’ expectations.

How far will she have to bend to make her story heard?

Friday 28 JUN:

Post show panel night

“Performing Identity: Theatre, Migration, and Cultural Exchange” with Gustavo Dias-Vallejo and Ewa Emini representing PROJEKT EUROPA and David Furlong representing Migrants in Theatre.

Wednesday 3 JUL:

Post show Q&A with the cast
Writer Léa des Garets and Director Rute Costa 

25 JUN - 14 JUL
19:30 (TUE-SAT)
16:00 (SUN)
£18 STANDARD
£16 CONCESSION
£10 PREVIEWS

George | Rehearsal Gallery

George | Production Shots

Who was George Sand?

What should you compromise to be seen?

Why now?

George | Trailer

Videographer: Héctor Manchego

Cast/Creatives

Anna Oggero (She/Her)

Producer

Anna, originally from Italy, is a London-based theatre producer, performer, theatre maker and Performing Arts teacher. Anna’s work centers around international collaborations & narratives of migration. As Executive Producer at PROJEKT EUROPA, Anna worked on: Let Your Hands Sing in The Silence (Marlowe Theatre), Themba Lo Hambo (Royal & Derngate), Desire Maps (National Theatre) and Seagulls & Tangerines (The Marlowe Theatre). Credits as freelance producer include: Deluge (Omnibus Theatre), The Call Project (Camden People’s Theatre), My Heart is in The East (Omnibus Theatre), Jew You Love Me (Unicorn Theatre and Israel tour), and The Hades and Persephone Project (Drayton Arms Theatre). Previously, as Associate Producer at Proud Haddock Productions she worked on: Charlie’s Aunt (online, raising funds for the Equity Charitable Trust), How to Survive an Apocalypse (Finborough Theatre) and Yeast Nation – The Triumph of Life (Southwark Playhouse). Prior to that she was General Manager at Finchley Children’s Music Group, and Producer at Opera Co-Pro.

Arianna Rabin (She/Her)

Assistant Producer

Arianna Rabin (she/her) is a producer, film-maker, writer and artist from London. Credits as a producer include: It’s OK I Still Think You’re Great (Edinburgah Fringe), Clocks (short), Spaghetti Western (short). As Assistant producer: GEORGE (Showcase at Criterion Theatre). She has worked as a runner on several shorts, HETV and feautures incl. for Netflix and Apple TV. Prior to working in film/theatre she produced large events and programmes incl. Barclays, UCL and the UK Government.

Conor Dumbrell (He/Him)

Actor | All the men

Conor Dumbrell is an actor and writer who trained at LAMDA. Theatre credits include I Hate It Here (UK Tour), Crying Shame (Stanley Arts), The Snow Queen and Crackers (Polka Theatre), George (Criterion New Writing Showcase), Bleak Expectations (West End), Insides (Pleasance) and The Tempest (UK & USA Tour). Credits while training include Pity, The Arsonists, Kin, Much Ado About Nothing and The Cherry Orchard. Screen work includes Rubinov and Revenge is a Dish, and commercials for McCain’s. Audio work includes Beans on Toast and GUTS. In 2021, Conor received a commendation for audio performance at the BBC Carleton Hobbs Awards. He writes audio dramas with Seagull Productions and is a Pleasance London Associate Artist with award-winning theatre company Sweet Beef. Conor is so excited to be working on George and to share this beautiful script with audiences at Omnibus.

David Furlong (He/Him)

Artistic Director of Exchange Theatre

A bilingual Mauritian theatremaker and director David Furlong established Exchange Theatre to produce multilingual theatre since 2006 and has been its artistic director and producer since then alongside. As Young Vic Jerwood director 2021, he directed TEMPESTS about invisibilized mixed identities. Outside of his directing work he co-produces artists exploring stories of migration, bilingualism and identity. He’s also an experienced deviser exploring in particular the decolonization of representations. (Noor. The Great Experiment with Border Crossings. The Cat in Reboots). He’s also ‘race & allyship trainer for Maya productions. Alongside his extensive acting career, in freelance, he was assistant director at the Royal Opera House on Madama Butterfly, National Theatre on Hadestown and the Young Vic on Orfeus-A house music Opera. He was nominated for best director in 2018 and best production 2019 at the Offies. His bilingual work was part of the 2021 documentary In Exchange. He also is a founder member of Migrants in Theatre.

Delyth Evans

Set and Costume Designer

Delyth Evans trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, graduating in 2018.
Set and Costume design for theatre includes Knocking On The Wall for Dryad Theatre, My Life Now for Lewisham Youth Theatre, Rainbow Rae and The Colour Stone Rescue for Underwired productions; Mosquitos, We Anchor in Hope and The Sewing Group at LAMDA, Zombiegate at Theatre503; Taming Who, Excluded, MSND and Juliet and Romeo for Intermission Youth; Hela, American Nightmare and The Story at The Other Room Theatre and In Lipstick at the Pleasance. As Costume Designer; Anthem at The Wales Millennium Centre.
As Associate Set Designer, The Odyssey: Episode 5, The Underworld at The National Theatre. As Associate Set and Costume Designer, Our Town Need’s a Nando’s at Liverpool Everyman.

Iniki Mariano (She/Her)

Actor | Marie Dorval

Iniki was born and raised in Singapore where she made her Stage and Screen debuts, before training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Recent stage includes The Garden of Words (Park Theatre), The Lodger (Coronet Theatre), Peter Pan (National Theatre/BOV), The Jungle Book (Derby Theatre), Can’t Wait for Christmas!(Orange Tree Theatre). Selected screen includes Space Plug (Disney), The Retreat (ALTER/Mubi), Jam (Mubi) and The Seekers (Mediacorp). Video Games include Synced: Off Planet (NeXT Studios/Studio Gobo Ltd), Harvestella (Square Enix/Livewire).

Jamie Lu (She/Her)

Sound Desinger

Jamie is a London-based scenographer, and an award-nominated sound designer. Jamie’s theatre credits as sound designer include ‘m Gonna Marry You Toby Maguire, Smoke, Tokyo Rose (Southwark Playhouse); Tiger (Omnibus Theatre); The Haunting (New Vic Theatre); The Government Inspector (Marylebone Theatre); English Kings Killing Foreigners, Mother’s Day, Grills (Camden People’s Theatre); Spin (Arcola theatre/ Hope Theatre/ EdFringe23); Gentlemen, The Apology, We Started to Sing, Broken Lad (Arcola Theatre); Ada (National Youth Theatre); Transit (The Space); Shakespeare’s R&J, Hedda Gabler (Reading Rep); Sorry We Didn’t Die at Sea (Park Theatre/ Seven Dials Playhouse); 1984 (London Youth Theatre); Declan (Camden People’s Theatre/ EdFringe23); Going For Gold, Road (Chelsea Theatre); Mother’s Day, Grills, Declan (Camden People’s Theatre); Burnout (R&D, Vault Festival and tour); Still Here (Jack Studio Theatre); Iphigenia (Hope Theatre); fester (Bridge House Theatre); A Gig for Ghosts (Soho Theatre); Paradise Lost (Shipwright); The Unicorn, What The Heart Wants, How To Build a Wax Figure (Edinburgh Fringe 2022); The Blue House (Blue Elephant Theatre); Dirty Hearts (Old Red Lion Theatre).; As Assistant Sound Designer: Henry V (Donmar Warehouse). Sound design for Audio play: The Dream Machine (Fizzy Sherbet).

Léa des Garets (She/They)

Actor | George/Gabriel

Léa des Garets (she/they) is a queer award-winning actor, writer and theatre-maker from France. Working on screen, on stage and as a voice actor between France and the UK, Léa started her career in the performing arts as co-founder of Night Train Theatre Company (Edinburgh Fringe, UK and Ukraine tour). She was part of PROJEKT EUROPA’s EMPOWER, which supports and champions migrant theatre talent in the UK. Through MQT Productions, Léa aims to give more visibility to hidden voices from the past and the present, focussing on international voices, female-led narratives and the LGBTQIA+ community.

GEORGE is Léa’s debut play. Its first act was showcased on the West End in 2023 as part of the Criterion New Writing Programme.

Credits include: I Am The Wind (Omnibus Theatre), Henry V (Cambridge Arts Theatre), Patience (Minack Theatre), Maklena (CPT, Edinburgh Fringe & Ukraine Tour), Conte-Moi l’Aventure (ChérieFm), Gisette (Best Actress Award – Hushpuppy Productions).

Marie Colahan (She/Her)

Lighting Designer

Marie Colahan is a London based lighting designer who splits her time between Theatre and Film.

Recent Lighting Designs include:
Moderation by Rebekah King, Greenwich Theatre. *Deadheads by Maddie Lynes, The Old Red Lion Theatre (2024) – Transferring to the Edinburgh Fringe 2024. *A Brief Moment and Then Never Again by Gudi Amato, Vaults Festival (2023). *Drum presented by Our Day and Omnibus Theatre (2022) – Transferring to Edinburgh Fringe 2024. *Sparkly Vampire Play written by Ashley Milne. Omnibus Theatre (2022). *Fiji presented by Omnibus Theatre, Clay Party Theatre and Conflicted Theatre. Omnibus Theatre (2022) Transferred to Edinburgh Fringe (2022).
Film projects as a Gaffer include:
*All The Words I Didn’t Say, Short Film, CSSD (2024) *In Laws, Short Film. Onyx Studios (2024). *Rosewood Hotel Bar Promo. Commercial, Tiny Studios (2024) *AEG Massive Music, Tiny Studios (2024).
Other work in Film Lighting Department:
*Venom 3 (2023/24). *The Acolyte (2022/23). *Red, White and Royal Blue (2022).

Mira Chakhtoura (She/Her)

Stage Manager

Mira, a versatile artist with a passion for dance, brings a wealth of experience to the stage. With a diploma in Dance and Teaching Modern Dance, she’s flourished as a choreographer across various mediums, from musicals to TV series. Her academic journey, culminating in a Master’s in Creative Producing, led her to pivotal roles like Assistant Company Manager and Stage Manager for CHICAGO Arabia and Production Manager for The Devil’s Doorbell tour. Notable credits include assistant stage manager for Billie The Kid at Vaudeville Theatre and stage manager for Secret Brunch. As a creative at the British Theatre Academy, Mira directed and choreographed, showcasing her diverse talents.

Rute Costa (She/Her)

Director

Rute is a Portuguese-born, London-based director and theatre-maker. She has a strong movement-based practice, and a background in literature, dance and activism. She has an MFA in Advanced Theatre Practice from Central, has trained with Anne Bogart in viewpoints and composition, and with Odin Teatret in Denmark. Rute is an alumna of the Stonecrabs Directors in Practice Programme 2022.

She is a co-founder of Popsie Theatre, a collective of queer and international artists making politically-minded, darkly-comedic physical theatre.

As director: Mitzi Fitz: Babycakes (VAULT & The Glory); GEORGE (staged reading/R&D, Criterion Theatre & Jermyn St Theatre); Queendom (Rosemary Branch Theatre); I am the wind (Omnibus Theatre); exile (also writer, Corpus Playroom & Edinburgh Fringe).

As movement director: The Dance (Pushpin music video); Reigen (Venue 45, Edinburgh Fringe).

As performer/co-creator: Not a Girl Not Yet a Woman (Blue Elephant & Camden People’s Theatre), ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE? (Camden People’s Theatre).

Book Now

Concessions

Concessions apply to students, under-18s, over-60s and more. For more info on our concession policy click here→

Accessibility

All performance spaces and facilities are fully wheelchair-accessible. For more info please contact Box Office on 0207 498 4699.

Ticket Collection

We operate a paperless box office system. You will be emailed a receipt once you have booked in advance. There is no need to print this off, just state your name at the box office on arrival.

Café Bar

Serving a menu of hot drinks, craft beers, wine and seasonal cocktails before and after every show and a full home-made food menu including freshly baked pastries, delicious cakes and savoury light bites from Friday – Sunday.

Content Warnings

Sexism, homophobia, transphobia, partial nudity, intimacy.

Find out more here.

Age Recommendation

14+

Duration

95m

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