THIS EVENT HAS PASSED

THE GUEST

PRESENTED BY COCKAHOOP THEATRE
WRITTEN BY STEPHANIE JACOB
DIRECTED BY LUCY RICHARDSON
“The pile’s getting taller than me, taller than the house, a teetering pile of stranger children wearing little backpacks, looking at me, waiting for me to do something, but what?”

Ricky and Joe have lived here forever. They love a glass of wine in their garden sitting under Ricky’s beautiful vine. But it’s getting hotter, the cracks are starting to show, and a stranger comes knocking.

What does she want? Why choose them? No one invited her! Should they open the door?

Each time Ricky and Joe think they’ve sorted it, the Guest comes knocking again. The results are painful, funny and all beg the question: what would you do?

Set in the near future, this serious comedy asks will the cracks between Ricky and Joe widen? And what does their mysterious Guest really want?

Cockahoop Theatre creates new plays for our times.

Cockahoop is actor/writer Stephanie Jacob (Small Island and Nye at the National Theatre, Writers’ Guild Award Winner) and director/dramaturg Lucy Richardson (Offie-nominated Mid Life at the Barbican).

Stephanie Jacob: Plays include The Quick at Tristan Bates Theatre and The Strongbox at Vault Festival, directed by Lucy Richardson and produced by Cockahoop Theatre; Again at Trafalgar Studios directed by Hannah Price; A Night Visitor for BBC Radio Four, directed by David Hunter, which won the Writers’ Guild Award for Best Radio Drama. Poetry includes Three-Eyed Wolf, a first person re-telling of the story of Boudica published by Green Bottle Press and Shifts for BBC Radio Three, a poetic exploration of nursing in the pandemic.

You can listen to A Night Visitor, Shifts and excerpts from Three-Eyed Wolf at http://www.stephaniejacob.co.uk

Winner of the Origins Award for Outstanding New Work, Cockahoop are delighted to return to Omnibus in April 2025 after Boudica, a poem series reimagining that ferocious queen, and the Strongbox Workshops, exploring homelessness in relation to our production of The Strongbox.

‘The Guest’ was developed in collaboration with migrant organisations and people with lived experience of migration. Cockahoop are delighted to be sharing the stage with three migrant charities, MinA (Migrants in Action), Micro Rainbow and Waling-Waling. 

MinA (Migrants in Action) will be performing ‘When the Lights Go Off… and the Cleaners Get In’ straight after the matinee performance of The Guest on Saturday 12th April. 

Micro Rainbow will be performing  ‘Welcome!’ Straight after the evening performance of The Guest on Thursday 17th April. 

Waling-waling will be performing ‘Sharing’ straight after the matinee performance of The Guest on Saturday 26th April.   

All events are free to ticket holders. 

All three charities are holding their own exhibitions at Omnibus between the 9th and 26th of April. Find out more under “Exhibitions” here 

 

Scan the QR code below for show programme. 

8-26 APR
7:30PM (TUES-SAT), 2:30PM & 7:30PM (SAT 12, 19 & 26 APR)
£18 STANDARD, £16 CONCESSION, £10 PREVIEWS

THE GUEST

PRESENTED BY COCKAHOOP THEATRE
WRITTEN BY STEPHANIE JACOB
DIRECTED BY LUCY RICHARDSON
“The pile’s getting taller than me, taller than the house, a teetering pile of stranger children wearing little backpacks, looking at me, waiting for me to do something, but what?”

Ricky and Joe have lived here forever. They love a glass of wine in their garden sitting under Ricky’s beautiful vine. But it’s getting hotter, the cracks are starting to show, and a stranger comes knocking.

What does she want? Why choose them? No one invited her! Should they open the door?

Each time Ricky and Joe think they’ve sorted it, the Guest comes knocking again. The results are painful, funny and all beg the question: what would you do?

Set in the near future, this serious comedy asks will the cracks between Ricky and Joe widen? And what does their mysterious Guest really want?

Cockahoop Theatre creates new plays for our times.

Cockahoop is actor/writer Stephanie Jacob (Small Island and Nye at the National Theatre, Writers’ Guild Award Winner) and director/dramaturg Lucy Richardson (Offie-nominated Mid Life at the Barbican).

Stephanie Jacob: Plays include The Quick at Tristan Bates Theatre and The Strongbox at Vault Festival, directed by Lucy Richardson and produced by Cockahoop Theatre; Again at Trafalgar Studios directed by Hannah Price; A Night Visitor for BBC Radio Four, directed by David Hunter, which won the Writers’ Guild Award for Best Radio Drama. Poetry includes Three-Eyed Wolf, a first person re-telling of the story of Boudica published by Green Bottle Press and Shifts for BBC Radio Three, a poetic exploration of nursing in the pandemic.

You can listen to A Night Visitor, Shifts and excerpts from Three-Eyed Wolf at http://www.stephaniejacob.co.uk

Winner of the Origins Award for Outstanding New Work, Cockahoop are delighted to return to Omnibus in April 2025 after Boudica, a poem series reimagining that ferocious queen, and the Strongbox Workshops, exploring homelessness in relation to our production of The Strongbox.

‘The Guest’ was developed in collaboration with migrant organisations and people with lived experience of migration. Cockahoop are delighted to be sharing the stage with three migrant charities, MinA (Migrants in Action), Micro Rainbow and Waling-Waling. 

MinA (Migrants in Action) will be performing ‘When the Lights Go Off… and the Cleaners Get In’ straight after the matinee performance of The Guest on Saturday 12th April. 

Micro Rainbow will be performing  ‘Welcome!’ Straight after the evening performance of The Guest on Thursday 17th April. 

Waling-waling will be performing ‘Sharing’ straight after the matinee performance of The Guest on Saturday 26th April.   

All events are free to ticket holders. 

All three charities are holding their own exhibitions at Omnibus between the 9th and 26th of April. Find out more under “Exhibitions” here 

 

Scan the QR code below for show programme. 

8-26 APR
7:30PM (TUES-SAT), 2:30PM & 7:30PM (SAT 12, 19 & 26 APR)
£18 STANDARD, £16 CONCESSION, £10 PREVIEWS

★★★★★

“The Guest is more than a play – it is a mirror held up to our society. 

The Spy in the Stalls

★★★★★

“The actors are exceptional” 

London Pub Theatres

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK

“I’m never going to forget this play.” 

“It just reminded me: three great actors and a great script, it’s all you need.”

“Brilliant piece of work!”

“This really should be seen by as many people as possible.”

“Really powerful and moving.”

“The Guest” is a very important piece of work. Excellent at every level. Relevant and thoroughly thought provoking.”

“This Must-See Play took the audience through a rollercoaster of emotions.”

The Guest | Rehearsal Gallery

The Guest | Production Shots

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The Guest | Trailer

The Guest | A look behind the scenes

Rory Kinnear shares his thoughts on The Guest

Cast

Erica Tavares-Kouassi

Hannah

Erica Tavares-Kouassi is a London-based actor who trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, graduating in 2023. Her recent credits include Charlie/Alex’s Mum in How Did I Get Here? (London Pub Theatre Award for Best Ensemble), Gloria in Gloria’s Gift (Camden Fringe), understudying Lisa/Candice/Anne in Party Games! (UK Tour, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre), and Philaria in Imogen (Shakespeare’s Globe).

Stephanie Jacob

Ricky

Theatre includes fringe, seasons in rep, national touring, West End, RSC and National Theatre. Highlights include playing the accordion as Pirelli in Sweeney Todd; touring the world with the RSC in The Winter’s Tale and becoming a bald man with a desk he can drive (Clement Attlee) in Nye at the National.

TV highlights include dying in a train crash (Call the Midwife), delivering Nat’s baby (EastEnders) and being scary nurses (Doctors) or scary nuns (Black Cake, Foyle’s War).

Graham Turner

Joe

Theatre includes work at The RSC, Chichester, Royal Court, lyric Hammersmith, Almeida, The Fringe, West End and Broadway. His last appearance at the RSC was as The Fool in King Lear. He has toured many productions and worked in many repertory theatres during his career.
Work in television includes Dinner Ladies, Dr Who, where the Heart Is, Insiders, Silent Witness.
Most recent work on film includes king Lear, Cymbeline, 24 Walks, the last Voyage of The Demeter and Sleepless in Settle.
Graham is thrilled to be reunited with Stephanie on her play The Guest. They toured the world together in the 90’s with the RSC in a production of The Winters Tale.

Production Team

Writer

Stephanie Jacob

Director/Dramaturg

Lucy Richardson

Assistant Director

Ayal San

Producer

Fabio Santos

Production Manager/Lighting Designer

Imogen Senter

Set/Costume Designer

Christianna Mason

Sound Designer

Gareth Swindail-Parry

Stage Manager

Gill Wood

Engagement Producer

Chi

Communications Manager

Héctor Manchego

Photographer/film maker

Henri T

Technician/Lighting and Sound Operator

Naomi Shanson

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

Please be aware that the show contains references to physical and sexual abuse, migration trauma and loss of a baby.  It contains depictions of micro-aggressions and racism suffered by migrants. 

Find out more here.

Age Recommendation

12+

Duration

95m

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