Theatre artists Nassim Soleimanpour and Omar Elerian have unveiled There & Then, an independent producing company whose opening project revives White Rabbit Red Rabbit on London’s West End. This return coincides with the play’s fifteenth anniversary and marks a partnership with producer Nica Burns and the venue partner Nimax. The production will run at the Duchess Theatre from June 8 to Nov. 2, offering audiences a compact, high-energy theatrical experience that lives and breathes on the edge of surprise.
The work’s format is deliberately minimal and precarious: each week a different performer takes the stage, handed a sealed envelope containing a script they have never seen. They are required to perform it cold, without rehearsal or direction, relying on presence and instinct. This method turns every performance into a one-off event and foregrounds the tension between preparation and immediacy. Casting so far combines screen, stage and comedy names, and further artists will be confirmed as the run continues.
How the production works
White Rabbit Red Rabbit is built around a single theatrical conceit: a performer reads an unknown text aloud for the first time in front of an audience. The piece uses the element of surprise as a structural device, making each night distinct. The show’s mechanism — a sealed envelope and no prior rehearsal — makes the actor’s presence the central vehicle for meaning. Audiences attending this staging can expect unpredictability, immediacy, and a fragile sense of risk. This version is cast by Matilda James CDG and presented by a company whose mission includes nurturing experimental work across stages and borders.
Weekly cast lineup
The announced roster of talent brings high-profile names to the Duchess box office: David Harewood opens on June 8, followed by David Tennant on June 15, Jo Joyner on June 22, and Asim Chaudhry on June 29. The summer stretch continues with Luke Thompson on July 6, Jodie Whittaker on July 13, Kathryn Hunter on July 20, and Kunal Nayyar on July 27. Later dates include Archie Madekwe on Sept. 21 and Riz Ahmed on Sept. 28. Additional casting will be announced as the season progresses, each appearance forming a distinct theatrical encounter.
The people and the new company
There & Then names playwright Nassim Soleimanpour and director Omar Elerian as its founding artists, joining executive producer Roz Coleman and producing advisor Malú Ansaldo. The company intends to commission and co-produce work, and to partner with artists at different career stages across international contexts. In addition to the West End run of White Rabbit Red Rabbit, There & Then is mounting a second world tour of Echo, with Immanuel Bartz attached as producer for that project. The company’s remit emphasizes collaboration, experimentation and cross-cultural exchange.
Artistic history and credits
The play itself has an unusual origin story: Soleimanpour conceived White Rabbit Red Rabbit while he was unable to travel outside Iran. The piece premiered in 2011 and has since been staged more than 4,000 times in over 25 languages, becoming a global example of minimalist, idea-driven theatre. Soleimanpour and Elerian have worked together for more than a decade on projects including Echo at the Royal Court Theatre and Nassim at the Bush Theatre, a creative partnership that forms the backbone of the new company’s artistic identity.
Voices from the team
Speaking about the launch, Soleimanpour reflected on storytelling and silence, describing how an initial risk with White Rabbit Red Rabbit has matured into a shared theatrical vocabulary with Elerian and the foundation of There & Then. Elerian framed the company’s intention as introducing something fresh and unconventional to the West End, underlining a commitment to work that prioritizes presence, immediacy and the constructive power of risk. Executive producer Roz Coleman praised the ambition and range of the company, noting a sense that these first projects are just the beginning of a wider program.
Producer perspective
Producer Nica Burns welcomed the two artists to a Monday evening residency at the intimate Duchess Theatre, recalling the piece’s sold-out run at @sohoplace in 2026 and emphasizing that each performance is unique because the performers appear only once. The producer’s endorsement links the West End return to both commercial visibility and the company’s broader aim of creating work that is unpredictable, immediate, and suited to an international life on stage.
