The Lambeth Fringe is back for 2026! Already underway, The Lambeth Fringe is a theatre festival dedicated to showcasing new theatre. In particular, The Lambeth Fringe prides itself on the bold, diverse and innovative shows presented across the 5 weeks, and at its heart, the festival remains dedicated to inclusivity and accessibility. Furthermore, The Lambeth Fringe amplifies underrepresented voices, provides a platform for women, LGBTQ+, global majority, and working-class artists, and reduces financial barriers to make theatre accessible to as many people as possible. All this makes the festival really exciting and a fantastic way to see new theatre.
Namaste! is one of the shows set to run at The Lambeth Fringe this year. Running from the 16th to 17th October, this work-in-progress comedy show combines themes of influencers, AI, and yoga to produce something that sounds like it will be a hilarious take on our current society.
I got the chance to interview Ryan Graham Hinds, the director of the show. We discussed the creative process of getting Namaste! stage ready, the excitement of developing a new show, as well as Hinds’ hopes for Namaste!. Without further ado, here is my interview with Ryan Graham Hinds…
Note: None of these answers have been edited in any way, shape or form. They are exactly as they were sent to me.
Starting simple, can you please tell us who you are and what Namaste! is?
My name is Ryan Graham Hinds, and I’m the director of the yoga-themed comedy Namaste! at Golden Goose Theatre for Lambeth Fringe. When a young influencer is tasked with saving a once-top London yoga studio, she must win over staff, teachers and clients with her wacky ideas despite knowing nothing about yoga…before a rival studio takes over!
What drew you to want to direct this show?
I knew of Ben Everett Riley through Andrew Keates’ Queer Theatre, and he’s so funny and talented I hoped we could collaborate on something one day…so when he asked me about directing Namaste! it was an instant yes. Now more than ever, we need to be entertained, to have a laugh at ourselves and at those around us. Ben and his co-writer Beatrice Hyde’s script was so funny on the page, and I wanted to be part of the journey of putting it on its legs.
Have there been any particular challenges in the creative process so far? If so, how did you overcome these?
London is one of the most expensive in the world, so making sure we had all the resources we needed to tell the story well was a bit of a delicate dance. A cast of 8, rehearsal space, and the production resources needed to properly serve the creative vision we had for the show all add up, so we had to be very thoughtful with how we planned out things. The best producers are creative thinkers, so Ben and Bea writing and also producing the play meant that every decision is a smart, economical, and has a creative choice at its heart.
Similarly, what has been the most exciting part of the creative process so far?
I love working with our actors. Each one of them is so smart, so funny, and so inventive, in addition to being great people to be in a room with. Kat de Leiros, Donald Sze, Nea Corner, Bryce Fletch and Amanda Chinyanganya have brought themselves fully to this process, to the point where Ben and Bea welcome script contributions from them! They all have a strong sense of the characters they are playing, so it’s been very exciting to be at rehearsal and see what they come up with!
How has Namaste! evolved from the original development to the version set to hit the stage?
The show is written from lived experience. Ben and Bea used to work at one of London’s top yoga studios, and are still practitioners themselves; all through the development, it was important to them that the poses, the class structures, the language etc of yoga be respectful and accurate. Once we got into rehearsal, sometimes things needed to change or shorten for dramatic/staging purposes, but I have tried hard to honour their impulse towards authenticity.
Following that, do you anticipate any further changes for the show?
In a show that features wacky scenes like Sheep Yoga and Rap Yoga, changes are always possible. I always say the show isn’t finished until the closing performance, so there may be some surprises in store yet!
You have quite the resume behind you – when you take on someone’s writing to begin directing it for the stage, do you have a specific process you use? Or does it vary from show to show?
Every process is different. This year, I’ve directed an opera for Bath Opera, a contemporary play and a Shakespeare for the talented students at Fourth Monkey Drama School, and now Namaste!, and part of the fun of each show is the different ways we arrive at the final product. At Fourth Monkey, I’ve been so impressed with how the students brought themselves and their ideas to the work. These young people created such a personal take on their plays, I would have been remiss to force a structure on them instead of discovering it together. It comes down to collaboration for me. Every show I’ve ever done, I’ve learned something from my collaborators and have carried it forward, and that’s proving to be true on Namaste! as well!
Was there anything particularly different or special for you regarding Namaste! ?
I’m Canadian, and am still getting used to UK accents. Not just the accents themselves, but how they affect perception of class and upbringing. Amanda Chinyanganya plays Gina. Amanda is a Northerner, and from the moment she was cast I thought her own real and natural accent was entirely appropriate for the character. That came as a surprise to her, because her experience has always been having to hide it and try and sound like a Londoner instead. It’s been very special for me how that one little aspect of authenticity allowed her to really own the role of Gina and unlock what’s inside her.
What are your hopes for Namaste! ?
Ben and Bea are looking toward a future life for the play, and I agree with them that it has legs. It would be so great if down the road it became a film or series, but as a theatre person I hope to remain part of its theatrical journey. It would be excellent to get picked up for a run at another theatre or go to Edinburgh with Namaste!
Have you learnt anything new about yourself as either a person or a creative as a consequence of Namaste! ?
As a former dancer with lots of injuries and body/health issues, being in an environment of constant stretching, lunges, and physical work has made me want to go back to basics and move. Yoga is indeed for everyone, and as the character of Alexi says when she opens the show: “Yoga is not a competition”. Even though I haven’t done a yoga or pilates class in many years and I don’t think anyone will ever see me double cart-wheeling in heels again, I might just quietly nip into a ballet or yoga class sooner or later. I love directing, but part of me will always be the performer who wants to stretch and jump and move.
Is there anything you will take away from this show? And what would you like audiences to take away from Namaste! ?
I’ll take away the joy of getting to discover what it’s like to collaborate with eight people whose work I was unaware of at this time last year, and having directed my first play in London proper! I hope audiences take away laughter and a lesson about not prioritizing other people’s tastes above your own authenticity.
Last question: What would you say to people to convince them to come and see Namaste! ?
Come see Namaste! because you will see sculpted abs, physical comedy, hilarious writing, great performances…and did I mention sculpted abs?
I found this interview to be so interesting, and it feels special when, through the written answers, you can feel the genuine care for one’s craft and their excitement and hopes for the show they’ve been working on. I hope you all enjoyed reading this interview as much as I did conducting it!
Namaste! will run at The Lambeth Fringe at The Golden Goose Theatre on the 16th and 17th October.
You can find out more and buy tickets here: https://lambethfringe.com/events/namaste
