Beginning this weekend and continuing through September, Nairobi will be treated to a number of theatre productions. Have a browse and twende theatre!
Drums of War
Sunday 21 July
Ardhi gallery in partnership with @son_of_man_theatres brings you Drums of War, a play by Mavin Kibicho.
Previously staged at Kenya National Theatre, the production has been brought back for this single performance by popular demand.
The year is 1952. The country is Kenya. A soldier comes home from fighting WW2 only to realise that he still has another battle to fight. PTSD. A battle he struggles with alongside his wife, and the daughter he’s trying to bond with after being absent from her life for so long. Drums of War is a story set in colonial Kenya that addresses issues ranging from trauma to love and marriage amid the most difficult of circumstances.
*Limited seating | Call 0720407172 to book
Albatross: Wings of Freedom
26 – 28 July
Youth Theatre Kenya presents Albatross: Wings of Freedom – a magical musical that delves deep into African history, exploring themes of slavery and freedom.
Set in the late 1880s in Zanzibar, this musical tells the story of the epic struggle to eradicate the black market slave trade along the East coast of Africa. Inspired by the true story of Bishop Charles Smythies of Zanzibar, the production follows the church’s mission to end slavery in collaboration with the Royal Navy and a dedicated group of local people. This vibrant production showcasing the extraordinary talents of 80 young performers from across Kenya, aged 9 to 25.
Braeburn Theatre | Tickets on madfun.com
Guns & Roses
27 & 28 July
Son of Man Productions is presenting yet another performance: Guns & Roses.
This military based story is curated to highlight the men’s mental health and talk about the voice in our heads and the conflicting thoughts amid the choices we have to make.
In a land scarred by terror and betrayal, Shalom, a soldier with a heart full of hatred for terrorists. finds his life entangled in a cruel twist of fate. His girlfriend, a survivor of the horrific 1998 Nairobi bomb blast. bears the physical and emotional scars of that day. Haunted by his personal vendetta and driven by love, Shalom is lured to the treacherous battlefield of Somalia. Unbeknownst to him, the general who commands him is a double agent, secretly working for Al-Shabaab. This treacherous leader. consumed by his own forbidden desire, covets Shalom’s girlfriend and orchestrates the mission as a death sentence for Shalom and his men. Their story is one of love and loss, hope and heartbreak, set against the backdrop of a world where innocence is lost to the horrors of terrorism and the treachery of men.
Kenya National Theatre | Tickets on mookh.com & kenyabuzz.com
Lwanda Otera: The Musical
9 August
For the longest time, the great and powerful Lwanda Magere has led the nation of Koth Biro against its adversaries with resounding success. But now, a new enemy arises, one who seeks to bring down the mighty warrior for one final time. As the residents of Koth Biro grapple with their new reality, the question remains, will Lwanda yet again emerge victorious over his new found foeor will he fall to their masterful ways and fail his people?
Braeburn Theatre, Gitanga Rd. | Tickets on madfun.com
Sarafina!
August 15-25
From Stuart Nash, the director of Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s Ngaahika Ndeenda (I Will Marry When I Want), Betrayal in the City and Shamba La Wanyama, Nairobi Performing Arts Studio’s multi award-winning Sarafina! is coming to Kenya National Theatre in a brand new production.
Through story and song, Sarafina! follows the activities of a fictional school class during the time of the 1976 Soweto Uprising, where students were injured and killed by police when they protested against the replacement of their native Zulu language in school with the colonial Afrikaans. The story centres on one girl named Sarafina, who inspires her classmates with her commitment to the struggle against the government.
Kenya National Theatre | Tikiti.co.ke & Kenyabuzz.com
Tom Mboya
2 – 4 August
Tom Mboya said, “We stand for freedom, at any cost”. 55 years ago, he was assassinated. Bringing the story of his life and activism back to the stage, the Too Early For Birds Theatre Company promises to tell the stories that were not in your schoolbooks. Mboya’s journey and times come to life in the show and honours his unyielding spirit and remarkable achievements.
Jain Bhavan Auditorium | Tickets on mookh.com
License to Steal
9 – 11 August
Written by Sheldon Owinya, Millaz Productions says they “could always tell you what it means here, but wouldn’t it be better to come and see for yourself?”…What’s your guess based on the poster? Will you see the show to find out?
Kenya National Theatre | Tickets on tikohub.co.ke
Sanctuary
13-15 September
We have new dates for Prevail Presents last new production of the season. Catch SANCTUARY – a riveting dystopian sci-fi starring the award-winning Joyce Musoke & Kigondu Martin directed by Santa Mukabanah for a one weekend only run.
Alliance Française, Utali Lane, CBD | Tickets on madfun.com