The Golden Hour
If anyone has a review or pictures about this play, please email the site. Below, a synopsis and cast list from the play, plus fan reviews further down (click here to go to fan review).
Please note, although the site for the play gives Simone's character name as Jessica, someone who saw the play said it was Rachel! Now there were a number of rewrites of the play all week - so we accept either name could be correct.
Adrian is a triage nurse, British of Zimbabwean descent, working in a London hospital alongside his long-term English girlfriend, Jessica.
He finds himself suddenly drawn into a drama of ethics and loyalty when he encounters an African baby whom he suspects has been brought into the country illegally.
An opportunity to see this new commission from award-winning writer Michael Bhim take shape over a week of rehearsals and stagings, directed by Femi Elufowoju Jr. Tiata Fahodzi is the UK’s leading company exploring experiences from within British African communities.
Cast: Annette Badland, Anniwaa Buachie, Wil Johnson, Simone Lahbib, Akemnji Ndifornyen, Lisa Davina Phillip.
The Golden Hour – Cast
Annette Badland - Leslie
Annette has appeared in many memorable roles on stage, screen and film; her television work includes Casualty, All the Small Things, Dr Who, Kingdom and Bad Girls, and her theatre credits include The Vortex, Habeas Corpus and Measure for Measure for Sir Peter Hall. On film she has appeared in Legacy, Three & Out and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, while her radio work includes Dr Zhivago, The Archers (as Hazel) and The Islington Murders.
Anniwaa Buachie - June
Anniwaa trained at East 15 Acting School. Shortly after graduating she was awarded the Alan Bates Outstanding Newcomer award in 2007. Her theatre credits include The Presidents Tobacco at the Young Vic, Branded at The
Old Vic, and Dilemma of a Ghost for the National Theatre of Ghana and Borders Crossings Theatre.
Wil Johnson - Adrian
Wil’s recent theatre credits include Serious Money at Birmingham Rep, Torn at the Arcola, Celia at the New Players and on tour, Othello at the Lyceum, Edinburgh, Redundant at the Royal Court, and As You Like It at The Globe. His many television roles include DI Spencer Jordan in the International EMMY award-winning Waking the Dead and Steve in Clocking Off, Luke in Buried Treasure and DC Skelton in Cracker, all BAFTA award-winning productions. His film credits include Adulthood and Yes!
Simone Lahbib - Jessica
Simone’s recent theatre credits include The Homecoming at the Royal Exchange, Manchester, Playboy of the Western World at the Leicester Haymarket and The Millennium Showcase at the Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh. Her extensive television work includes Wire in the Blood, Heartless, Monarch of the Glen, Judge John Deed and Bad Girls. Her film appearances include Zip N Zoo and Red Mercury Rising.
Akemnji Ndifornyen - Francis
Akemnji has performed in The History Boys, Chatroom/Citizenship and Mark Ravenhill’s Odyssey, all for the National Theatre. His film appearances include Incubus and Life ‘n’Lyrics and his television roles include appearances in Casualty, The Everglades, Broken News and Doctors.
Lisa Davina Phillip - Betty
Lisa Davina’s recent theatre credits include Catalysta at the Oval House, The Bacchae for National Theatre of Scotland and on tour, and Porgy and Bess and The Lion King in the West End. She appeared with Paul Nicholas in The Royal Today (ITV) and was a runner-up for the BBC Norman Beaton Fellowship. She also provided vocals for the feature films Bullet Boy and Layer Cake.
I went to see the play on Friday and met Simone afterwards. I asked her what projects were coming up and she said she is going to work on a short film with her husband, which he is writing & directing etc., and there are also two potential TV programmes in the works, but, given the current economic climate, she isn't sure if they will be given the green light.
As for the play, even though the actors still had the scripts in their hands while on stage, and occasionally looked at them, it was still a very powerful performance. Simone said that they only had five days of rehearsals, including the day of the opening show, during which the script changed completely three times, so she could hardly read hers because there was so much that had been crossed out and altered. She also said it was strange for her as well as for the audience to be on stage with a script as she hadn't been in that kind of a play (or rehearsed reading) before.
Another shorter review about the play.
The play was interesting and simone was great in it. It was 90mins long with no interval. The story did focus on one man working in the hospital but simone was prominent and had plenty of lines. Simone played a nurse (yes she was wearing a nurses uniform!). Simone is looking really good-she has definitely lost the baby weight now and is looking very slim and slender now. Met simone afterwards-she was very friendly and happy to pose for pics/sign things etc. simone said she is doing another short film with her husband very soon and had a couple of other possible projects although no imminent tv work.