Ahmed Hamad is Jake in the new production of Tim Gilvin’s Stay Awake, Jake, streamed via Southwark Playhouse until 28 February 2021.
Ahmed trained at Arts Educational. Theatre credits include Rent (Hope Mill Theatre), The Boy in the Dress (Royal Shakespeare Company), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (London Palladium summer 2019), BBC Proms – West Side Story (Royal Albert Hall).
In this one-man show, he plays Jake, a guy who drives across the country, trying to save his relationship. It’s a show about memories, the past, the future, and about taking responsibility for his actions.
The show won the prestigious S&S Award for best un-produced musical in 2014. In 2016, the innovative musical was crowned the winner of the VAULT Festival Origins Award for new writing.
We fired our ten questions at Ahmed. Do you want to know more about him? Keep reading!
Ahmed, can you describe yourself in three words?
Thoughtful, energetic, loving
Your favourite food?
Fajitas!
Which musical you would love to be in?
Parade
Tell me one good thing about this lockdown
Reconnecting with people that you usually were not connected with
Tell me one play you really enjoyed and would recommend
The Whip by Juliet Gilkes Romero
One thing you don’t like about London
Nobody pays attention to other people. My parents live in West Midlands, and every time I get off the train, people say “Hi, how are you?” even if you don’t know them, while in London they are just looking at their phones, or newspaper and don’t connect with other people.
Who’s your favourite singer?
John Legend
Favourite holiday destination?
I am saying Dubai. I have never been there, but my brother and sisters live there and I can’t wait to go and experience the city.
Any advice for young actors?
Work on what makes you happy as well. Before the pandemic, people were doing things for the career, to go further, but it is so important to do things you really enjoy. There are a couple of companies like Just Add Milk and The Grad Fest who give a lot of opportunities and keep you in the loop, making the industry accessible for actors, offering workshops and support.
Why people should watch Stay Awake, Jake?
New British theatre is so important and it is important to support new shows. Without emerging new theatre, we couldn’t have big long-running shows. And also to watch me! (laughing)
Thanks Ahmed for the nice chat. You can watch Stay Awake, Jake here until the end of February.