James Hameed Joins RepresentAsian Concert in the West End
Actor James Hameed has joined the line-up for RepresentAsian: An Evening of Asian Talent, a one-night concert in London's West End. The show runs on Monday 9 November 2026 at 7.30pm at the Lyric Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue. Tickets start at £20.
The concert celebrates Asian performers working in musical theatre, the form where songs and dialogue carry a story. It is hosted by EastEnders actor Nina Wadia. It also raises money for a scholarship at the Boury Academy.
This year's edition follows an earlier concert that paid for the first RepresentAsian Scholarship. The scholarship helps a young performer pay for professional arts training.
The 2026 line-up also includes Nadim Naaman, Roshani Abbey, Soophia Foroughi, Hiba Elchikhe, Zheng Xi Yong and Mia Kobayashi. Three recent graduates will make their West End concert debuts. Charlie Moscrop, Sameer Dhanjee and Shivaane Subash trained at the Guildford School of Acting and the Royal Academy of Music.
The concert is produced by Aixa Amarante Productions in partnership with Dishoom, the restaurant group. Audiences get complimentary chai, a spiced milk tea, when they arrive. Ben Armstrong is the founder and casting director behind RepresentAsian. Alex Kais of House of Kais is head of brands and partnerships, and Tom Mann of Ghostlight Productions is the graphic designer.
Hameed is best known to London audiences for a role he does not perform in person. He voices Paddington Bear and the Young Man in Paddington The Musical at the Savoy Theatre. On stage, Arti Shah plays Paddington in costume while Hameed provides the voice. The Big Issue UK has described the show as a mix of live performance and puppetry, with creative direction by Tahra Zafar.
The pair were nominated for Best Actor in a Musical at the Olivier Awards, the main prizes for London theatre, which are run by the Society of London Theatre. BBC Arts Online later reported that the award went to Hameed and Shah.
For anyone planning a night out, the concert's mix of established names and newly trained performers is the draw. Tickets are the first thing to check. Prices start at £20, and the chai is free.
