In New Orleans’s Lower Ninth district two African Americans, Malcolm and EZee, find themselves stranded on a rooftop waiting for rescue. Their city has been devastated, their worldly possessions swept away and the body of their young friend lies before them.

Lower Ninth is written by Beau Willimon, who is one of the recipients of the Summer Play Festival Residency at the Donmar Warehouse. His other work includes Farragut North, which is currently being adapted for the screen.

Lower Ninth is staged as part of Donmar Trafalgar, a new initiative giving recent graduates of the Donmar Warehouse’s Resident Assistant Director (RAD) scheme the chance to stage their own production.

Charlotte Westenra, who was part of the RAD scheme in 2004, directs Lower Ninth. Her other directing credits include We The People (Shakespeare’s Globe), Darfur – How Long Is Never and Justifying War (both co-director at the Tricycle theatre).

For more about Lower Ninth at the Trafalgar Studio 2 read the First Night Feature or our Direct to the West End feature.