'Heartstopper' actor Fisayo Akinade on starring in 'Slave Play' in the West End

Fisayo Akinade is preparing for one of his most exciting stage roles yet, playing Gary in the UK premiere of Jeremy O. Harris’s groundbreaking Slave Play.

When it comes to Fisayo Akinade, a deep dive into fan forums, reviews, and film and TV magazines usually reveals praise for his emotionally gripping performances in two standout roles: Dean in Cucumber and Mr. Ajayi in Heartstopper.

The Liverpool-born actor first captured the hearts of many in 2015, starring as Dean Monroe in Channel 4’s Cucumber (as well as spinoff Banana). Russell T. Davies’s dark and comedic portrayal of contemporary gay life gave Akinade the platform to play a sexually adventurous 19-year-old with an overactive imagination. “Cucumber and Banana will forever be two of my favourite jobs of all time,” Akinade says fondly.

Then there’s Netflix’s 2022 hit series Heartstopper, which tells the story of Charlie, a gay teen at Truham Grammar School, who navigates changing friendships and a budding yet complicated romance. Akinade plays Mr. Nathan Ajayi, a gay, gentle, and wise art teacher that looks out for Charlie and lets him hideout in his art class, where lonesome lunches with words of wisdom are exactly what he needs. His character goes on a moving journey of his own in season two, when he embarks on a tentative relationship with fellow teacher Mr Farouk (played by Nima Taleghani).

“That’s a role that I really treasure and really love,” says Akinade, describing the series as something that would have helped him come out sooner had it existed when he was growing up. For him, Heartstopper represents queerness in the “joyful and bold” way that all others should aspire to.

“Those jobs are the marquee jobs, the jobs that everyone knows,” he adds. “But for me, the most profound moments I've had in my career have often happened on stage or in a rehearsal room. I wish theatre was spoken about by the general public in the same way that film and TV are.”

He excitedly goes on to name an extensive list of plays and characters, each a defining moment in his acting career and personal life.

There’s Shipwreck at the Almeida, Anne Washburn’s sinister play unpacking liberal and Trumpian politics. “All my characters spoke directly to the audience, which I had never done before, and it's really daunting,” he says. “It’s a role that I really treasure for how much it pushed me beyond what I thought I was capable of.”

The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama-trained actor cites The Glow, Alistair McDowall’s 2022 time-travel fantasy, where he played four roles but led to one of the most total performances he’s had as “the dexterity required to snap in and out of one character to another was thrilling!”

Then there’s Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, directed by Lyndsey Turner at the National Theatre and set during the 17th-century Salem Witch Trials. Akinade plays Reverend Hague, who is determined to root out evil only to realise the injustice of it all after irreparable harm is caused. “I learned to commit to the arc and the story,” he says, “because that's what shines through not only for you, but for an audience.”

Described as “an actor with an eye for detail and a gift” by critic Lyn Gardner, Akinade brings to life irresistibly captivating performances borne out of the profound moments he lists. And there’s another in the making.

After a very quick audition process that left him sure he hadn’t landed the role, Akinade is now preparing to play Gary; a black, gay man navigating the complexities of an interracial relationship in Jeremy O. Harris’s much-anticipated Slave Play.

Directed by Robert O’Hara, the production follows three interracial couples delving into uncomfortable but necessary conversations on race, identity, and sexuality.

“I'm really loving playing Gary,” he says. “He represents something that I feel a lot of black queer men can relate to. There are themes within the play and within Gary that are very pertinent to now.”

Akinade’s character lives with anhedonia: a condition resulting in a lack of interest, enjoyment or pleasure in life. He feels that his partner, Dustin, is erasing his black identity by not wanting to acknowledge or talk about race.

“My scene partner James [Cusati-Moyer], who plays Dustin, would often say that the veil between ourselves and these characters is very thin,” he continues. “Jeremy [O. Harris] is keyed into something that feels very universal and specific. So, even if you're not gay or black, even if you're not an older white woman with a younger light-skinned black man, even if you're not a white man with a black woman, something about it will resonate in a way that is kind of miraculous.”

Much like his beloved experience with The Crucible, Akinade finds himself completely charmed by the exciting possibilities of the role and the creative team uplifting the play’s themes. “I've never loved a cast more,” he says. Akinade features alongside Kit Harrington (Game of Thrones) and Olivia Washington (I’m a Virgo) as the play transfers from Broadway to the West End.

“It's very exciting in the room because every single person is wonderful,” Akinade continues. “Not only are they very talented and gorgeous and sexy and fun, but we’re also all really wanting to make something special. We believe in the play. We all found something in it that spoke to us. It’s such riveting, exciting, boundary-pushing, confronting stuff, and I want as many people as possible to see it.”

The play has been named controversial in its run in the US, and in the UK press ahead of its London premiere, and Akinade is very aware of the preconceptions this may create for potential audiences. But as an advocate for diversity and progressive action in theatre, he holds a strong belief in this work’s ability “to radically invite black people” – in O. Harris’s words – and create a space for necessary conversation and learning.

“Putting the word slave in the title of your play is audacious,” he says. “It's already challenging you saying: ‘this is uncomfortable, so is this play!’ I think it challenges people to experience something shocking and experience something confronting, and then experience the conversation after. So, let's talk about race. Let's talk about Britain and race. Let's talk about sex. Let's talk about it. But there's also some very clear requests for people to put themselves second, pay attention, listen, and learn.”

Book Slave Play tickets on London Theatre.

Photo credit: Fisayo Akinade in rehearsals for Slave Play. (Photo by Helen Murray)