Rizzle Kicks star Jordan Stephens to make stage debut at London’s Young Vic

By Casey Cooper-Fiske, PA Entertainment Reporter

Rizzle Kicks singer Jordan Stephens is to make his stage debut in Entertaining Mr Sloane at London’s Young Vic theatre.

The 33-year-old will star as Mr Sloane alongside Auf Wiedersehen, Pet’s Christopher Fairbank as Dada, Abigail’s Party and EastEnders star Tamzin Outhwaite as Kath, and Daniel Cerqueira as Ed in the queer comedy, which will run from September 15 to November 8.

Stephens said: “I love the Young Vic and feel incredibly grateful to have this opportunity. I’m terrified and excited.

“I couldn’t have imagined my stage debut arriving in this way, with such an iconic, wicked play and under the certified guidance of Nadia Fall as well as stage veterans in Tamzin, Daniel and Chris. What an honour.”

The play follows the story of Mr Sloane, who is rented a room by the lonely Kath. Her businessman brother Ed does not approve at first, however, he quickly becomes taken by the young man, as their convenient living arrangement descends into a dangerous game of desire and deceit.

Director and Young Vic chief executive Nadia Fall said: “Jordan Stephens is an artistic polymath, from writing and screen to music and his campaigning. I’m incredibly excited to be directing his stage debut.

“He has the ear of a new generation who will be discovering (Joe) Orton for the first time through Jordan’s Sloane; the thought of that is simply thrilling.

“Together with the rest of the brilliant cast, I cannot wait to channel the downright audacity of this play.”

As one half of Rizzle Kicks with Harley Alexander-Sule, Stephens has had five UK top 10 singles, including one number one in Heart Skips A Beat, which featured Essex-born singer Olly Murs, and two UK top 10 albums.

The duo recently performed at this year’s Glastonbury Festival, and released their first studio album for more than a decade, Competition Is For Losers, in February.