LIPA Acting student to star in Letter to Brezhnev stage adaption
Friday 17 July 2026
A second year Acting (Screen & Digital) student has been cast in a new stage version of the film Letter to Brezhnev.
Leona Sinama-Pongolle will perform the role of Tracey in the adaptation which has its world premiere at Liverpool's Royal Court in September.
Originally released in 1985, the iconic Liverpool-based film was a critical and commercial success and is credited with putting the city on the cinematic map.
We asked Leona about the play, her role and how LIPA has helped her prepare.
Can you tell us a little bit more about the play itself?
It's about these two friends, Teresa and Elaine, who meet these two men, Sergei and Peter. Elaine falls in love and she writes a letter to the General Secretary of the Soviet Union, Leonid Brezhnev, who was the President at the time in Russia, asking to be reunited with him.
Can you tell us a little bit about your character?
My character is called Tracey, but I will also be multi-rolling because she is mainly involved at the very start of the show and the end. She's part of Elanie and Teresa's friendship group but she's also quite two faced. She is that character that has that comedy edge to her but is also a bit of a villain. Some of her one-liners are hilarious!
What does it mean to you to be cast in the role?
For me, especially in the Royal Court, it's such an amazing theatre, and what the Royal Court stands for, like employing scouse actors, it does mean a lot to me. As a Scouser it makes me so proud that the first professional theatre gig I have been involved in is in Liverpool! My family have booked a whole row of the theatre for opening night in September; they can't wait to see me.
How do you think your training at LIPA has helped you prepare for the role?
I think the biggest thing LIPA has helped with is the process, in terms of going through lines, researching and preparing. Also, at LIPA we are constantly working with different people from the industry almost every term, which helps when you work with new people on project. We also had industry preparations at the end of second year, which came at a great time for me!
Tickets for Letter to Brezhnev, which runs from 11th September to 17th October, are available now via the Royal Court website:
