Q’s with the cast of In the Penal Colony: Taher Najib

Taher Najib as The Prisoner in In the Penal Colony

Last chance to see In the Penal Colony – just two handfuls of tickets left for tomorrow’s (23 July) matinee show!

Last but not least, we’ve asked celebrated actor and playwright Taher Najib who plays The Prisoner to answer a few questions for us.

Tell us about your character
 I have different confused names.

Favourite word?
No.

Proudest moment?
When my Father sent for me in his last moments of life.

If 28 hour days existed, what would you do with the extra four hours?
Once the days become 28 hours a day, then the 4 hours will stop being extra.

Favourite holiday?
Tokyo.

Weirdest quirk?
What is quirk?

Favourite play?
The Orestea of Aeschylus.

If you had one super power, what would it be?
God.

Do you have any regrets?
I don’t regret anything I’ve done, but I regret not having done some things.

Q’s with the cast of In the Penal Colony: Makram J. Khoury

Makram J. Khoury (right) in In the Penal Colony

Next up from the In The Penal Colony cast is Makram J. Khoury, one of Palestine’s most respected actors. Other than doing lots of work within Palestine, you may also recognize him as the assassinated Palestinian translator Wael Zwaiter in Spielberg’s Munich, from movies Free Zone (with Natalie Portman), Three Weeks in Jerusalem and The Body, and the hit TV series West Wing, where he played the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority Nizar Farad.

Tell us about your character
He is very clean. And very loyal. And very empathetic.
He is sent to the penal colony to investigate and understand what he can improve. He wants to do good.

Favourite word?
Sincerity.

Proudest moment?
The birth of my grandchild.

If you could have a room full of any one thing, what would it be?
A lot of old films. The classics.

If 28 hour days existed, what would you do with the extra four hours?
See the films that I have in the room.

Favourite holiday?
Paris in April.

Weirdest quirk?
I don’t think I have one. Maybe that’s my quirk.

Favourite play?
Waiting for Godot, King Lear, Six Characters in Search of an Author.

If you had one super power, what would it be?
To become a Nigerian prince like “Tonjie” (an actor I worked with in Peter Brook’s 11 &12)

Do you have any regrets?
I do.

Favourite midnight snack?
Watermelon with goat cheese.

Q’s with the cast of In the Penal Colony: Amer Hlehel

(Right) Amer in In the Penal Colony

You may recognize Amer from ShiberHur Theatre Company of Palestine‘s visit to the Young Vic last year where he was hailed for his acclaimed performance as Yusuf  in I Am Yusuf and This is My Brother. He was also in Paradise Now, the Golden Globe winner of Best Foreign Language Film a few years ago!

Tell us about your character
He is very lonely and very loyal. And is sure he is protecting the interests of humanity.

Favourite word?
Wow – which I can use in all languages and it means what I want it to mean at any given moment.

Proudest moment?
Every time I fly I am proud because I defy gravity and that makes me feel like an angel.

If you could have a room full of any one thing, what would it be?
Whisky. It would be nice to have a glass and ice.

If 28 hour days existed, what would you do with the extra four hours?
Sleep 4 more hours.

(Right) Amer in I Am Yusuf and This Is My Brother

Favourite holiday?
Sinai – sun, desert and a lot of smoking.

Weirdest quirk?
Being an actor is quirky enough.

Favourite play?
Richard II. Although I am still waiting for Richard IV.

If you had one super power, what would it be?
To walk real fast… but real fast!!!

Do you have any regrets?
A lot – I eat falafel instead of having kebab that kind of thing.

Favourite midnight snack?
Everything, whatever there is in fridge, I devour.

In the Penal Colony starts from 11 July and runs until 23 July. It is part of Shubbak, London’s first ever celebration of culture from across the Arab World, presented by the Mayor of London.

Click here to see production photos and here to read more + buy tickets now!