Five questions with Omari Douglas of 'Lavender, Hyacinth, Violet, Yew'

Known to many for his Bafta-nominated turn in It’s a Sin, Omari Douglas now heads to the Bush Theatre in the touching new play, Lavender, Hyacinth, Violet, Yew.

Omari Douglas had his breakthrough role on screen as Roscoe Babatunde in Russell T Davies's Channel 4 drama It's a Sin about a group of gay men and women living in London during the HIV/AIDS crisis. However, he has a number of stage credits to his name including West End shows such as A Little Life, Cabaret, and Constellations. He speaks to London Theatre Magazine about what brings him back to theatre and starring in new play Lavender, Hyacinth, Violet, Yew.

What do you enjoy most about your character, Duncan?

Duncan is from Birmingham, and through him, it’s been nice reconnecting to my Midlands-ness. I’m from Wolverhampton, but I’ve been in London since 2012, and my accent’s become quite neutral over time. It’s nice to be in a space where I can tune back into this voice – its colour and musicality. It feels great to reclaim that part of myself.

One of the major themes in Lavender, Hyacinth, Violet, Yew is gardening, and the healing power of plants. What hobby brings you that feeling of joy and calmness?

I really love music, from all eras. There’s a Radio 4 podcast, Add to Playlist, where they curate playlists while linking each song to the next – like, going from Mahler’s Ninth Symphony to “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga; I listen to that a lot. I love tuning my brain into all of that deep, theoretical musical stuff.

You’ve done film and TV, but you always seem to return to theatre. What brings you back to the stage?

A lot of the time on a film or TV set, you turn up and you do it, and then you’re finished. With theatre, there’s a sense of collaboration; it’s a process that can feel uncertain and challenging and beautiful, constantly working through stuff. Some of my most memorable experiences on stage have been during the rehearsal process, where you don’t really know what the end product is going to be. But it’s about the joy of getting there.

Is there a role that’s stuck with you over the years?

I’d have to say Roscoe from It’s a Sin, because playing him opened my eyes to the Black queer community in a way that I hadn’t seen before. It connected me with HIV activists like Marc Thompson, who I’ve also been in contact with for Lavender. When a role opens you up to something that is beyond the immediate work, and connects you to the wider world, it feels especially important.

What do you hope audiences get from the play?

I’m excited for people to see a platonic relationship between a Black straight guy and a Black gay guy. And I’m really excited for people to see the world that Coral [Wylie, the writer] has created, and for people to hear their voice. I hope people feel inspired, and that the words help them see the world in a different way.

Book Lavender, Hyacinth, Violet, Yew tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: artwork for Lavender, Hyacinth, Violet, Yew. (Image courtesy of production)

This article first appeared in the February 2025 issue of London Theatre Magazine.