{"id":3639,"date":"2026-07-06T12:37:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T12:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=3639"},"modified":"2026-07-06T12:37:02","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T12:37:02","slug":"lauryn-ajufo-to-lead-revival-of-michaela-coels-landmark-debut-play-chewing-gum-dreams-exclusive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=3639","title":{"rendered":"Lauryn Ajufo to Lead Revival of Michaela Coel\u2019s Landmark Debut Play \u2018Chewing Gum Dreams\u2019 (EXCLUSIVE)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\tLauryn Ajufo, the British actress who landed a British Independent Film Award nomination for \u201cBoiling Point,\u201d is set to step into the role that first launched Michaela Coel\u2018s career in an upcoming revival of Coel\u2019s landmark semi-autobiographical one-woman debut play.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\u201cChewing Gum Dreams,\u201d originally developed by Coel as her final-year show at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, was first performed publicly in 2012 at London\u2019s The Yard Theatre before being transferred to The Shed at the National Theatre in 2014. It would eventually form the basis of Coel\u2019s TV breakthrough \u201cChewing Gum.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe revival at Theatre503 \u2014\u00a0a co-production with British African heritage theatre company tiata fahodzi \u2014 will see Ajufo play Tracey Gordon, a restricted, religious virgin, who wants to have sex and learn more about the world. The play is described as a \u201cfierce, funny, and big- hearted journey through first love, last days of school and the moments that shape who we become.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThis new production is directed by Theatre503\u2019s award-winning artistic director, Anthony Simpson-Pike, whose credits include the Olivier-Award winning \u201cThe P Word,\u201d \u201cLava\u201d (nominated for best director at the Black British Theatre Awards) and \u201cGrenfell: in the Words of survivors\u201d at the National Theatre \/ St Anne\u2019s Warehouse, New York. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI\u2019m beyond excited to be part of the first U.K revival of the renowned play, \u2018Chewing Gum Dreams,’\u201d said Ajufo, also seen on screens in \u201cDreaming Whilst Black,\u201d \u201cLuther: Fallen Son,\u201d and as a series lead in Netflix\u2019s \u201cEverything Now\u201d and \u201cTell Me Everything.\u201d \u201cTo step into the shoes of Michaela Coel is truly an honor. I\u2019m looking forward to working with Anthony and the brilliant team at Theatre503 to bring this beautiful piece of theatre back to life. I can\u2019t wait to watch the magic unfold!\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\tAdded Coel: \u201cTheatre503 was one of the early supporters of \u2018Chewing Gum Dreams\u2019 and praised the show greatly during its first run in 2012. It is wonderful to see it have its first U.K. return there and I\u2019m excited for its opening. Wishing their team the best of luck!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe \u201cChewing Gum Dreams\u201d revival\u2019s creative team includes Yimei Zhao (\u201cPorn Play\u201d) as set and costume designer, Christopher Nairne (\u201cThe Real Ones\u201d) as lighting designer, Xana (\u201cAlterations\u201d) as sound designer, Heather Basten CDG (\u201cThe Harder They Come\u201d) as casting director and Theophilus O. Bailey (\u201cFor Black Boys\u2026\u201d) as movement director.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe\u2019re excited to announce that Lauryn Ajufo will be taking on the iconic role of Tracey, so memorably introduced to the world by the incredible Michaela Coel,\u201d said Simpson-Pike. \u201cThis is the first U.K. production since the original and we couldn\u2019t be prouder to make it at Theatre503, with such a special actor. Lauryn\u2019s talent deserves to be seen by everyone. And clearly audiences are keen to see this new version too as today we\u2019re also announcing an extension due to phenomenal demand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAdded Chinonyerem Odimba, CEO and artistic director of tiata fahodzi: \u201cThis feels like an incredibly exciting partnership with Theatre503 not only because it uplifts an important play in the Black British canon, but also because it brings in sharp focus our shared belief that audiences are hungry for work that feels viscerally human and highlights the possibility of what new writing in theatre can achieve. We can\u2019t wait to share the production, the talents, and Anthony\u2019s vision of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\u201cChewing Gum Dreams\u201d will run at Theatre503 Sep. 10 \u2013 Oct. 3. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

London’s Theatre503 has revealed that Lauryn Ajufo will lead the revival of Michaela Coel’s landmark one-woman debut play Chewing Gum Dreams<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3638,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[885],"tags":[2993],"class_list":["post-3639","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-theater","tag-michaela-coel"],"yoast_head":"\nLauryn Ajufo to Lead Revival of Michaela Coel\u2019s Landmark Debut Play \u2018Chewing Gum Dreams\u2019 (EXCLUSIVE) - Relocation Observer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=3639\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Lauryn Ajufo to Lead Revival of Michaela Coel\u2019s Landmark Debut Play \u2018Chewing Gum Dreams\u2019 (EXCLUSIVE) - 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