an award-nominated new production highlighting masculinity and parenting of young Black men

Idealistic Ashley has been teaching at one of London's lowest ranked secondary schools for two years. When a drastic decision is made by one of her favourite students, she is determined to save him from expulsion. But Ashley finds herself stunned; by the sudden reaction of a bureaucratic head-teacher and her fight against a problematic system, apprehensive colleagues, and intimidating, unforgiving parents.

Tony Craze Award shortlisted playwright Daniel Rusteau’s debut play Dismissed is a grounded, propulsive and hard-hitting drama shining a light on class and racism in the state education system and raises questions about masculinity, punishment and parenting of young Black men.

THE UPSETTERS have partnered with Cardboard Citizens and their Citz Futures Traineeships programme for this production. This is a programme run by Cardboard Citizens which provides paid opportunities for people without significant prior work experience and with experience of homelessness, inequity, or poverty to gain hands-on experience of working in theatre alongside industry professionals.

“A bold, gripping moral quandary for modern times.”

★★★★ Theatre Bee

Read the full review from Theatre Bee.

More Reviews

Rusteau creates a deeply absorbing and compelling scenario: from start to finish, everyone is hooked.
★★★★ The Upcoming

Powerful and poignant.
★★★★ Voice Mag

Crisp and urgent giving a sense of desperation.
★★★★ Playhouse Pickings

Written with poignancy and insightfulness.
★★★☆ The Reviews Hub

Thoughtful, well-performed… with engaging dialogue and an eye for humour.
British Theatre Guide

Audience Reactions

Press

Theatre company wrestles with knife crime in its first West End show in The Guardian.
Minority-focused company the Upsetters says play Dismissed will challenge ‘ethical absolutes’ around problem.
By Robert Booth, social affairs correspondent.

New play tackles issues of knife-crime, classism and racism in state education on London Live.
Dismissed is the work of writer Daniel Rusteau who shines a light on classism and racism through his writing.

Podcast episode 102 featuring Daniel Rusteau on The Stagey Place.
Daniel talks about his inspiration behind writing the piece with the help from teachers who he knew and how he feels the show would translate to an educational audience if it was to ever tour.

Interviews with the Cast and Crew

About Daniel Rusteau

Daniel Rusteau is a writer and playwright who is currently a member of the writersroom for the Showtime series SHAKA: KING OF THE ZULU NATION (Fuqua Films/Illusionarium/Propgate/CBS/Showtime). He was recently a member of the writersroom for the neo-noir detective series MIDDLE WEST (Outlier Society/Point Grey/Amazon), he has written two episodes of HOLLYOAKS (Lime/Ch4) and his half-hour film SUPERDAD for the anthology series ON THE EDGE (BlackLight TV/Ch4) is due to be released this year.

His play THE ONES WE LOVE was shortlisted for the Soho Theatre Tony Craze Award 2021 and his play DISMISSED is currently being developed into a feature with Headline Pictures. He has projects in development with Film Nation, Beano Productions, Element Pictures, BBC Studios, West Road Productions and Blacklight Television and his crime drama TV script THE BOROUGH made the 2019 Brit List.

About Nikhil Vyas

Nikhil Vyas is a theatre director and maker from Croydon, whose practice also includes dramaturgy & participatory/educational work. He co-founded Trip Hazards, named one of The Guardian’s ‘Five Best Young Companies’. He trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

Directing credits include: Haunting and Renting (Five Shorts, Young Vic), The Hunting Of The Snark (Rose Theatre), My Life As A Cowboy (Park Theatre), Progress (Camden People’s Theatre/ZOO Venues Edinburgh) and How My Light Is Spent (Wardrobe Theatre).

Assistant Directing credits include: Chasing Hares (Young Vic), ‘Night Mother (Hampstead Theatre), Civilisation (New Diorama Theatre) and Wild Goose Dreams (Theatre Royal Bath).

Digital work includes: Dances For PowerPoint (Siobhan Davies Dance).

Cast

Ashley
Georgia-Mae Myers

Susan
Rebecca Crankshaw

Dennis
Corey Montague-Sholay

Jonathan
Jon McGuinness

Erica
Bonnie Baddoo

Creatives

Writer
Daniel Rusteau

Director
Nikhil Vyas

Set and Costume Design
Amanda Ramasawmy

Sound Design
Mwen

Lighting Design
Laura Howard

Movement Director
Kwami Odoom

Marketing
Holly Adomah

Stage Manager
Ella Godbold-Holmes

Producer
Marcus Bernard

PR

Click for the Dismissed press kit.

For further information contact Storytelling PR:

Emma Ainley-Walker
emmaaw@storytellingpr.com

Fergus Craig
fergus@storytellingpr.com

Thank you to the Arts Council England, Enterprise Arts Trust, Theatre Deli London and LaSWAP Sixth Form Consortium for supporting this production. For more information about Dismissed, please contact hello@theupsetters.co.uk.