The P Word, Waleed Akhtar’s 2023 Olivier Award-winning play, which charts the parallel lives of two gay Pakistani men under the UK government’s increasingly hostile position against migrants, returns from 28 May to 27 June (press night 1 June) with the original cast of Akhtar alongside Esh Alladi. The production is co-presented by Seventh Productions and Chuchu Nwagu Productions. Today, the team had a rehearsal room visit from Dr. Ranj Singh, doctor, TV presenter, author, and musical theatre star, who has been announced as a Producer of the show alongside Emmy-winning television personality and producer Tan France of Netflix’s decorated series Queer Eye.
Dr. Ranj said, ‘I’m incredibly proud to be supporting The P Word as a producer — a powerful and timely piece that brings vital, and long overdue, conversations to the forefront. This is a story that feels deeply personal and universally relevant, exploring the parallel lives of two gay Pakistani men with honesty, heart, and nuance. Following its Olivier Award win and record-breaking run, it’s clear just how much this work resonates. For me, it’s about championing South Asian and queer voices in theatre, backing bold new writing, and encouraging audiences to engage with live theatre that truly challenges stigma and inspires greater openness around issues that affect so many of us. For queer, South Asian people, this play has been a long time coming.’
The producers have also announced further collaborations on The P Word. Set and Costume Designer Max Johns will be working in partnership with Priya Ahluwalia’s multi-award-winning design label Ahluwalia, whose clothes will feature in the production. The label combines elements from the designer’s dual Indian-Nigerian heritage and London roots. It explores the potential of vintage and surplus clothing by giving existing materials a new life through various textile and patchwork techniques, which means many Ahluwalia pieces are one-of-a-kind.
Hamza Jahanzeb joins as Marketing and Events Consultant, with further details to be announced of an exciting program of events in conjunction with The P Word. Hamza is a writer, consultant, and Chair of Queer Beyond Belief.
Seventh Productions & Chuchu Nwagu Productions, in association with Tan France, Dr Ranj Singh & Bush Theatre, present
THE P WORD
by Waleed Akhtar
Directed by Anthony Simpson-Pike
Set and Costume Designer – Max Johns
Composer – Niraj Chag
Lighting Designer – Elliot Griggs
Sound Designer – XANA
Movement Director – Rachael Nanyonjo
Dramaturg – Deirdre O’Halloran
Casting Director – Jatinder Chera
Marketing and Events Consultant – Hamza Jahanzeb
Costume Design Partnership – Ahluwalia
Cast – Waleed Akhtar and Esh Alladi
28 May – 27 June
Monday – Saturday at 7.30 pm
Wednesday matinees – 3, 10, 17, 24 June at 2.30 pm
Saturday matinees – 6, 13, 20, 27 June at 2.30 pm
Relaxed Performance – 13 June at 7.30 pm
Audio Described Performance – 17 June at 7.30 pm
Captioned Performance – 20 June at 7.30 pm
Press Night – 1 June at 7 pm
The Olivier Award-winning and critically acclaimed story of hope and romance returns for a strictly limited run.
Hailed as ‘tremendous’ (The Times) and ‘immensely moving’ (Financial Times), the enduringly relevant story of a romance blossoming against all odds broke Bush Theatre Box Office records in 2022 and now returns with its original cast and creative team.
‘I’m not in your Britain. I’m in another Britain.’
Zafar flees homophobic persecution in Pakistan to seek asylum in the UK. Londoner Bilal (self-styled as ‘Billy’) is ground down by years of Grindr and the complexity of being a brown gay man. Their worlds are about to change forever.
Moving through casual hook-ups to the UK’s hostile environment, Waleed Akhtar’s sharp-witted and devastating play charts the parallel lives of two gay Pakistani men.
Directed by Theatre503 Artistic Director Anthony Simpson-Pike. Original cast members Esh Alladi (Bridgerton) and Waleed Akhtar (The Great) return.
Writer Waleed Akhtar plays Billy. Waleed is an award-winning writer and actor. His play, The P Word, won an Olivier for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre, alongside a nomination for Best Play at the WGGB Awards. He won Most Promising Playwright at The Offies and was nominated for the equivalent at The Evening Standard Awards. He was the recipient of the Peggy Ramsay/Film 4 bursary and won an MGC Futures award. Work for theatre includes: The Real Ones, The P Word (both Bush Theatre); Kabul Goes Pop: Music Television Afghanistan (Brixton House, Mercury & HighTide). His translation work includes Alexis Michalik’s The Art of Illusion (Hampstead). He currently has commissions from the Almeida, The Unicorn, and the Manhattan Theatre Club, and is on attachment at the Royal Court. Work for screen includes: The Road Trip (Paramount+/42MP); Famalam (Season 4 contributor); Lost Paradise (Short film B3 Media/UK Film Council). He was selected for the BBC Studios Spotlight scheme and is developing several original ideas. His audio play, Mrs Bibi, was released by Audible in March 2025 and was a finalist for the Tinniswood Award.
As an actor, Waleed’s television credits include The Great (Channel 4), Franchise (HBO), and Three Girls (BBC). Film credits include Cruella, The Roads Not Taken, and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. On stage, he has been seen in AI (Young Vic), Fracked (Chichester Festival Theatre), and A Thousand Splendid Suns (Birmingham REP & Tour). He is also an experienced comedy improviser and seasoned voice actor. He voiced the Planet Omar book series and, most recently, played Ravi in Downstream for BBC Radio 4.
Esh Alladi plays Zafar. Esh trained at LAMDA and the University of Cambridge. In 2019, he won the UK Theatre Award for Best Supporting Performance for Hobson’s Choice at the Royal Exchange.
Esh’s theatre credits include: This Much I Know (Hampstead); Great Expectations, Hobson’s Choice, Wit (all Royal Exchange); The P Word (Bush); An Adventure (Octagon); Out West: The Overseas Student (Lyric Hammersmith); Theatrical Digs (Yvonne Arnaud); The Argument (Theatre Royal Bath); Rutherford and Son (Crucible); Absolute Hell (National); Twelfth Night (RSC); Lions and Tigers (Globe); Joybubbles, Dr. Feelgood (both The Other Palace); Nell Gwynn (Globe / ETT National Tour); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (New Wolsey); The House of In Between (Stratford East); My World Exploded a little bit (Tristan Bates); The Beaux’ Stratagem, Dara, Behind the Beautiful Forevers, War Horse BBC Prom, From Morning to Midnight, Romeo & Juliet (National); Boxer Beetle (Rich Mix); The Wind in the Willows (Birmingham Rep). Television credits include: Bridgerton, Red Rose (both Netflix), Father Brown, The Other One, Anthony, Casualty, EastEnders, Apple Tree House, Frankie (all BBC); Mr Bates Vs. The Post Office, A Confession, Houdini and Doyle (ITV); The Chelsea Detective (Acorn). Film credits include: The Moment; Fly Little Bird; Cardiff; Still Life; The Leak; Ordinary Love; Christmas at the Palace.
Anthony Simpson-Pike is a director, dramaturg, and writer. He is currently Artistic Director of Theatre503, and was Deputy Artistic Director at the Yard Theatre, Resident Director at Theatre Peckham, and Associate Director at the Gate Theatre. Recent directorial work includes Donbas (Theatre503), Real Ones (The Bush), Samuel Takes a Break… (The Yard), Drama Desk award-winning Grenfell: In the Words of Survivors (National Theatre/ St Ann’s Warehouse in New York), Irish Times Theatre award-nominated An Octoroon (The Abbey), and, at the Bush, Olivier Award-winning The P Word and Lava (nominated for Best Director at the Black British Theatre Awards).
