5: Neil D'Souza

In episde 5 we speak to writer and actor Neil D'Souza about his plays Coming Up and Out of Season.

Neil is an actor, with diverse credits, and writer, for stage and screen. His debut play Small Miracle (2007) was produced by the Tricycle Theatre (now known as The Kiln).

His second play, Coming Up (2015), revolves around Alan, who after more than thirty years returns to Mumbai on business. As he explores the city he once knew, he uncovers truths about his late father, and is forced to come to terms with the past he turned his back on.

His latest play, Out of Season (2024), received great critical acclaim and creates a new perspective of bachelorhood, concentrating on three former band mates returning to Ibiza hotel where it all began. As their trip falls to pieces, we settle into the void between old dreams and current realities, and how to face forward with the past.

The Next Act is a podcast series spotlighting the voices shaping the future of British South Asian theatre. Each episode centres on a conversation with a single playwright, examining their creative process alongside the political, personal, and artistic forces that inform their work.

Presented by Shiroma Silva, Rukhsana Ahmad and Jaswinder Blackwell-Pal. Supported and funded by the Drama Department and the Centre for Public Engagement at Queen Mary, University of London.

www.thenextact.co.uk

• No. of episodes: 9
• Latest episode: 2025-07-03
• Arts Performing Arts

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