Drama St Mary's Student Appears in National Theatre Production

Second year Drama and Theatre Arts student at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, Fahad Qayyum is performing in a National Theatre production in May and June. Fahad is appearing in award winning dramatist Caryl Churchill's play Light Shining in Buckinghamshire. The show is one of the main stage productions chosen to open, new Artistic Director of the National Theatre, Rufus Norris’s inaugural season. The production tells the story of the men and woman who went into battle during the English the Civil War, exploring the themes of food shortages, economic instability, and corruption. Fahad was selected for the production after taking part in an open audition earlier in the year. Following its debut, the production has received outstanding reviews, with The Independent stating is was, “A stirring, brilliantly cast production”, and The Guardian hailing it, “An epic production of Caryl Churchill’s magnificent play.” Academic Director of Drama Mark Griffin said, “This is a brilliant story and shows how far Drama St Mary’s has come in the last few years. It’s fantastic to see that our students have both the talent and self-belief not only to go for these kind of auditions but to nail a part as well.” Fahad’s success comes at the end of an excellent year for the Drama and Theatre Arts Programme, with a group of third year students being cast in Muse of Fire at The Globe and St Mary’s alumni Matthew Crouzieres and Alfie Boyd taking lead roles in Les Enfants Terribles sell out production of Alice’s Adeventures Underground, an immersive theatre show in the vaults underneath Waterloo station.