Kiln Theatre unveils cast for The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs summer run
Kiln Theatre has announced the full cast and creative team for its upcoming production of The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs, a musical comedy by award-winning writer Iman Qureshi, which will run from 13th June to 12th July 2025. Following a successful sold-out run at Soho Theatre in 2022, the production will open at Kiln Theatre in Kilburn, London, with its press night scheduled for Friday 20th June. Directed by Hannah Hauer-King, the play explores themes of community, belonging and self-expression through the story of Britain’s only lesbian choir and their efforts to perform on the Pride mainstage.
The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs follows the story of a lesbian choir rehearsing in a dilapidated church hall, led by an older, wiser lesbian known affectionately as an OWL. As the choir navigates internal disagreements over song choices and personal relationships, they discover that achieving harmony comes at a cost. The original production at Soho Theatre in 2022 received widespread acclaim, praised for its humour, warmth and authentic portrayal of lesbian community life.
The announced cast includes Fanta Barrie as Ellie, Olivier Award-winning actress Liz Carr as Fi, Zak Ghazi-Torbati as The Men, Leah Harvey as Lori, Georgie Henley as Ana, Mariah Louca as Bridget, Serena Manteghi as Dina and Shuna Snow reprising her role as Connie. Fanta Barrie, who previously appeared in the original Soho Theatre production, is known for her recent role in Amazon’s My Lady Jane. Liz Carr, who joins the cast for the Kiln Theatre run, received an Olivier Award for her performance in The Normal Heart at the National Theatre and has appeared in television series such as Netflix’s The Witcher and Marvel Studios’ Loki.
The production’s creative team includes designer Anna Reid, lighting designer Zoe Spurr, co-sound designers Nicola T Chang and Tingying Dong, and co-musical directors Nicola T Chang and Viki Calver. Stuart Burt is responsible for casting, with Yael Elisheva as assistant director and Danielle Levy overseeing costume supervision.
Speaking about the casting announcement, Kiln Theatre’s Artistic Director and CEO Amit Sharma said: “What an absolutely phenomenal cast we have for The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs. Iman’s play celebrates love, identity and community with heart and humour – and with this cast, it has all of the above in abundance. I can’t wait for audiences to come and see this brilliant play!”
Writer Iman Qureshi expressed her enthusiasm, stating: “Any one of these marvellous cast members would be a coup, but together our Ministry is an absolute tour de force. In this difficult political, cultural and economic environment for new writing, I am overjoyed that our much-loved, sell-out show is being revived at the Kiln Theatre, and I can’t wait for Kilburn High Road to transform into the unofficial lesbian stomping ground of summer 2025.”
Director Hannah Hauer-King also praised the assembled cast, noting: “I couldn’t be more excited to have such an incredible group of artists bringing this story back to life. It really is a dream cast, with new company members Liz Carr, Leah Harvey, Georgie Henley, Zak Ghazi-Torbati, and Serena Manteghi bringing new energy to the show, Shuna Snow returning as much-loved Connie the choir director, Fanta Barrie returning as life of the party Ellie, and Mariah Louca as the irreplaceable Brig.”
The editorial unit
Photos: Courtesy of The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs
The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs is at Kiln Theatre from 13th June until 12th July 2025. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.
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