Adolescence play Duck is a coming of age cricket story from the seldom-seen perspective of a British Indian Muslim teenage boy
Cricket coming of age story, Duck, bowls onto the Corn Exchange Newbury stage on Wednesday (April 30).
Written by award-winning playwright and producer maatin, Duck is about adolescence, the pressures of sporting competition and finding your identity in an environment that doesn’t cater for difference.
It’s the summer of 2005 as England get ready to win the Ashes. 15-year-old British Indian student Ismail (Smiley to his friends) goes to the sort of school you hear about because of how many Prime Ministers went there and there is literally nothing he doesn’t love about cricket. Ever since he can remember, he’s been obsessed. A star player full of ambition and talent, Ismail sets his sights on immortality – breaking the school batting record and getting his name into Wisden.
But at the start of the season, new coach Mr Eagles takes a particular dislike to him, for reasons Ismail can’t quite put his finger on.
Playwright maatin says: ‘I'm thrilled that this exciting new tour will bring new audiences into the seldom-seen perspective of a British Indian, Muslim teenage boy.’
Adding ‘It is my biggest goal to purposefully invite communities that have been excluded – whether deliberately or otherwise – into the theatre, both on and off the stage.’
maatin is a writer, dramaturg and producer from London, now based in Los Angeles. He focuses on Muslim storytelling, working across theatre, radio, television, and film.
maatin trained at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (MFA in Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media, 2018–2020).
Duck is his debut play and premiered at the Arcola Theatre in London in 2023 and ran at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024 as a recipient of the Pleasance’s Charlie Hartill Fund. His play Friday at the Masjid was a winner of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 37 Plays and longlisted for both The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting and Soho Theatre’s Verity Bargate Award 2022.
Theatre credits include Duck (Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 2024; Arcola Theatre, 2023; Jermyn Street Theatre, 2022), Meatballs (Hampstead Theatre). Radio credits include: Yusuf and the Whale (BBC). Film credits include Sharia’s Law (short, Apatan Productions).
The play starts at 7.30pm. Age guide 12+. For tickets and more information, visit www.cornexchangenew.com or contact the box office on 01635 522733.
Biographies:
QASIM Mahmood plays Ismail/Smiley. He trained at Rose Bruford.
Theatre credits include: FIRST ENCOUNTERS: ROMEO AND JULIET (RSC); PARK LIFE (Birmingham Rep/ Sky Comedy); LINCK & MÜLHAHN (Hampstead Theatre); TARTUFFE (Birmingham Rep); ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS (Liverpool Everyman / Bolton Octagon / Theatre By The Lake); ALADDIN (Lyric Hammersmith); TROJAN HORSE (Lung Theatre).
Television credits include DOCTORS (BBC).
Film credits include WE CAN BE HEROES (Heroes Production).
Radio credits include THIS LITTLE RELIC (BBC)
Director Imy Wyatt trained on the Drama Directing MA at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. In 2023 she Co-directed Scotsman Fringe First Award Winning Show ‘BEASTS’ by Mandi Chivasa. Other directing credits include The Last One (Arcola Theatre), Passing (Park Theatre), Scarlet Sunday (Omnibus Theatre), Duck (Arcola Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The Grove DIY Skatepark), Humane (Pleasance Theatre), Walk Swiftly & With Purpose (North Wall Arts Centre, Theatre503), Baby, What Blessings (Theatre503, Bunker Theatre) and Happy Yet? (Edinburgh Fringe, International Theatre, Frankfurt).
Her credits as Associate/ Assistant Director include Private Lives (West End), Relatively Speaking (Theatre Royal Bath, UK Tour), The Dance of Death (Theatre Royal Bath, UK Tour), Love All (Jermyn Street Theatre) and The Straw Chair (Finborough Theatre). She was a Creative Associate at Jermyn Street Theatre 2022/3 and is currently an Associate Artist at Arcola Theatre.
