10-09-26
Nick Mohammed is returning to The Traitors, but this time he'll be the one deciding who gets murdered.
The Ted Lasso star and finalist in the first series of The Celebrity Traitors will play The Host in the world premiere stage production The Traitors: Acts of Betrayal, opening at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in 2027. Mohammed has even been formally sworn into the role by Claudia Winkleman, who made him take "The Traitors Host Oath" at Ardross Castle, the Scottish home of the BBC television series.
Performances begin on 11 May 2027, ahead of an official opening night on 8 June.
Written by Cabin Pressure creator John Finnemore, Acts of Betrayal isn't simply a recreation of the television show. Instead, it comprises a cycle of five different plays, each telling the story of an entire game of The Traitors in a single evening. The Traitors are selected, contestants are banished and murdered, alliances shift and, by the end of the performance, a winner is crowned.
There is another twist. From Monday to Friday, the story begins in exactly the same way but can follow five different paths. A character eliminated early in one version might survive and ultimately win another.
Saturday performances hand some of the power to the audience, who will decide who wears the Traitors' cloak. Their choice determines which of the five plays is performed.
Mohammed said he initially doubted whether fictional versions of the game could match the twists of the real thing, but described Finnemore's five plays as "as funny as they are moving" and "deeply, deeply unpredictable". Referring to taking over Claudia Winkleman's role, he added: "I simply don't have enough hair! But I will do my utmost not to disappoint." Mohammed is also promising a different outcome from his own experience on The Celebrity Traitors, joking: "This time round, I promise not to let down the whole nation right at the very end."
Robert Hastie directs the production following his work on Olivier Award-winning musicals Standing at the Sky's Edge and Operation Mincemeat. The newly announced creative team includes designer Ben Stones, lighting designer Mark Henderson, sound designer Alexandra Faye Braithwaite and choreographer Kate Prince, whose credits include Sylvia. Music is by Martin Lowe, with Stuart Burt serving as casting director.
Further casting for the five plays has yet to be announced.
The Traitors: Acts of Betrayal begins performances at the Gillian Lynne Theatre on 11 May 2027, with opening night on 8 June.
Visit the official site HERE