A WORLD premier of a show by an award-winning playwright is set to take to the stage at a theatre in York next month.

Following critically acclaimed productions of 'Noughts & Crosses' and 'Crongton Knights', Pilot Theatre return to York Theatre Royal with the world premiere of award-winning Australian playwright S. Shakthidharan’s adaptation of The Bone Sparrow.

Zana Fraillon’s original story for young adults features a Rohingya refugee boy who has spent his entire life living in a detention centre in Australia.

Directed by Pilot Theatre’s Artistic Director Esther Richardson, the new production has its world premiere at the theatre from February 25 to March 5.

The cast features Yaamin Chowdhury as Subhi and Mary Roubos as Jimmie. The company also includes Elmi Rashid Elmi, Jum Faruq, Kiran L Dadlani, Siobhan Athwal, Devesh Kishore and Mackenzie Scott.

The Bone Sparrow is the third co-production between Pilot Theatre, Derby Theatre, Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Mercury Theatre Colchester and York Theatre Royal who formed a new partnership to develop theatre for younger audiences.

From 2019 - 2023, the consortium is commissioning and co-producing an original mid-scale production each year.

The production has also been developed in association with the Australian Theatre for Young People and with the support of Bradford’s SBC Theatre.