THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND
Idi Amin is the self-declared President of Uganda. When Scottish medic Nicholas Garrigan becomes his personal physician, he is catapulted into Amin’s inner circle. A useful asset for the British Secret Service, is Garrigan the man on the inside, or does he have blood on his hands too?
A Sheffield Theatres Production
Based on the novel by Giles Foden
Adapted by Steve Waters
Directed By Gbolahan Obisesan
Assistant Director | John Rwothomack
The Assistant Director’s role I find to be one of the strangest in theatre. It is one of the few that is not really defined. It is very dependent on how the director like to work and the expertise and skills of the assistant director. That having been said, the working relationship between myself and Gbolahan Obsession has been an incredible one and one I would like to see happen more.
Photography by Helen Murray
Being traditionally trained as actor, I tend to approach most theatrical artistic work in the manner of an actor, be it writing or directing or in this case assistant directing. The biggest job the AD has I would say is assisting the creative process of the the production whilst maintaining the artistic vision of the director.
Photography by Helen Murray
The Role of an AD
The AD has to have to capacity to develop relationships with the cast that would allow for cast to feel free to talk about anything the are going through. Whether it’s in the production or in life in general, as anything that the actors come in the room with will affect the rehearsal process and indeed performance. In building this relationship, not only do the actors have some to talk to but they also feel safe.
During rehearsal and tech I tend sit a far away from Director as possible and place myself in different positions in the room. One might say, playing musical chair with myself. This is so that I can see and gage the performance from different perspectives to the director. Any feedback is noted and fed to the director either immediately if I feel it’s something the actors need to know sooner than later, or at the end of the day.
The biggest challenge perhaps is that the story in the play is a mixture between true events, a biography if you like and fiction. In that the story of Idi Amin is of course true, Nicholas Garrigan, however, is a fictional character created by Giles Foden in the book. The challenge was then to marry the two worlds whilst of course keeping the truth in story created and the real events as they happened. As the assistant director and a Ugandan, the challenge I had was to research the relevant information that helped support the decisions we made about this
Photography by Helen Murray
LAST KING TRAILER
Creative Team
Adapted by: Steve Waters
Director: Gbolahan Obisesan
Designer: Rebecca Brower
Lighting Designer: Sally Ferguson
Sound Designer: Donato Wharton
Video Designer: Zsolt Balogh
Movement Director: Kane Husbands
Assistant Director: John Rwothomack
Casting Director: Nadine Rennie CDG
Dialect Coach: Michaela Kennen
Stage Manager: Paul C Deavin
Deputy Stage Manager: Sarah Greenwood
Assistant Stage Manager: Rosalind Chappelle
Cast
Idi Amin Dada: Tobi Bamtefa
Kay Amin: Akuc Bol
Archbishop, Journalist Two & Soldier: George Eggay
Perkins: Peter Hamilton Dyer
Jonah Wasswa: Baker Mukasa
Peter Mbalu-Mukasa: John Omole
Malyam, Journalist One & Barmaid: Joyce Omotola
Stone: Mark Oosterveen
Nicholas Garrigan: Daniel Portman
Priti, Journalist Three, Woman: Hussina Raja
Marina Perkins: Eva-Jane Willis
Ensemble
Joe Insingoma
Richard Kinsiona
Belinda Odawa
Jermain Raymond Dokothum