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Meet the cast of Sweat

09 Apr 2026

Together with the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, we are thrilled to announce our nine-strong ensemble cast for our upcoming co-production of Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Sweat, directed by Joanna Bowman. The production will have its Scottish premier in Glasgow this May before heading to Edinburgh.

Sweat is set in Reading, Pennsylvania, and explores the impact of industrial decline on a tight-knit group of factory workers. As layoffs loom, friendships are tested and communities feel the strain. It’s a powerful, unflinching story about the human cost of economic hardship, and we are excited to bring Lynn Nottage’s incisive storytelling to life on our stages.

An ensemble cast standing around a jukebox on stage.

We are proud to introduce our cast:

Laura Cairns (Jessie) – Brings stage experience from A Christmas Carol at Citizens Theatre as well as impressive screen credits including The Crown, Shetland, and Black Mirror.
Debbie Korley (Cynthia) – With a distinguished career at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare’s Globe, and TV appearances including Casualty, Doctors, and Holby City.
Lewis MacDougall (Jason) – Known for The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford, Pan, A Monster Calls, and His Dark Materials.
Lucianne McEvoy (Tracey) – Many Scottish audiences will know her from So Young and Ulster American, as well as previous work at Citizens Theatre in The Macbeths and Bold Girls.
Rudolphe Mdlongwa (Chris) – Has performed in The Jungle and the UK tour of The Barbershop Chronicles.
Christopher Middleton (Stan) – Celebrated for his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company and TV roles in Coronation Street, EastEnders, and Holby City.
Ako Mitchell (Evan) – A seasoned theatre performer across the UK.
Manuel Pacific (Oscar) – Familiar to musical theatre audiences nationwide.
Mark Theodore (Brucie) – Extensive experience from Northern Stage to the Royal Court and Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

Director, Joanna Bowman, says:

“Lynn Nottage is one of the great playwrights of our time, and Sweat is a masterclass in storytelling. I’m thrilled to be bringing together such a talented and dynamic ensemble to tell this remarkable and essential story. This is a cast full of generosity, insight and range, and I can’t wait to see how they connect and collaborate as we begin to get under the skin of the play. Sweat is centred around a group of rich and complex characters, and I’m looking forward to exploring this world together and building a company that feels as tightly knit as the community at the heart of the play.”

Artistic Director at the Citizens Theatre, Dominic Hill, adds:

“Sweat feels like an incredibly urgent play for our times. At its heart, it’s about community, identity and what happens when people feel left behind by forces beyond their control. In a world where divisions continue to widen, Lynn Nottage’s play offers a vital, human perspective on the social and economic pressures shaping people’s lives. We’re proud to bring this powerful story to Glasgow and Edinburgh audiences.”

James Brining, Artistic Director of the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, shares:

“The Royal Lyceum Edinburgh is proud to bring such a relevant and powerful play to the stage. When it was first produced in 2015, Lynn Nottage’s wonderfully written Sweat was hailed as a modern classic and since then its resonance has grown and grown. Exploring themes of economic hardship, cultural identity and political disillusionment, this is a timely moment to produce such a compelling and increasingly urgent show. Under Joanna Bowman’s direction, and with a brilliant cast, we can’t wait to bring this powerful story to Edinburgh audiences.”

We believe this production will offer a gripping, poignant, and deeply human look at the pressures and divisions shaping contemporary society.

Sweat is a story that challenges, moves, and sparks conversation – one we can’t wait to share with you.