Pic: Richard Hubert Smith

Actor Kobna Holdbrook-Smith returns to the Young Vic for the production – playing the trickster god Esu and is joined by Olivier Award-winning actress Noma Dumezweni.
For this co-production with the Royal Court, Rufus Norris worked with playwrights from five countries where Yoruba traditions have influenced contemporary life. Included in this collaborative effort are Brazilian Marcos Barbosa, American Tanya Barfield, Rotimi Babatunde of Nigeria, Cuban Yunior Garcia Aguilera and Brit Gbolahan Obisesan. Norris is no stranger to the African continent, having spent quite a few childhood years in Nigeria when his civil servant father was posted to Africa.

Pic: Richard Hubert Smith

Anyone familiar with the work of Norris will know he has directed a host of critically acclaimed shows including Cabaret, London Road and an adaptation of DBC Pierre’s novel Vernon God Little. So, here’s a theatre director with some versatility who’s spoken of taking the audience on a journey with Feast. The show’s promotional tagline is Feed your spirit, Free yourself – and that sounds quite good for January. (Words: Eri Otite)

Feast is showing at the Young Vic from 25 January – 23 February. For more info, visit www.youngvic.org

The post Something you should see… Feast at the Young Vic appeared first on The Cultural Exposé.

Born in Nigeria in the thirties, Kuti created music that attacked the countries’ oppressive military regime and gave voice to Nigeria’s underclass during the seventies and eighties. The creator of Afrobeat, he was also a spectacular showman, as well as being an infamous polygamist who famously married 27 women on the same day in 1978.

A biographical musical about his life opened on Broadway at the end of 2009 to rave reviews – and thanks to the financial backing from superstars Will Smith and Jay-Z, the story of the Nigerian renegade’s extraordinary life as a musical pioneer, political activist and notorious womanizer went on to win three Tony awards and later, a sell out run at the National Theatre in the capital.

The vibrant musical now comes to Sadler’s Wells from 20th July with the original Broadway star Sahr Ngaujah reprising his Tony nominated role of the dynamic and free-spirited Fela.

With incredible choreography and more than ample material to shock, move and inspire in equal measure, it’s not to be missed. Just like the man himself, Fela! promises to be a true force of nature. (Words: Aoife Moriarty)

Fela! is on at Sadler’s Wells until August 28th.  For more info, click here.

The post Something you should see…Fela!, Sadler’s Wells appeared first on The Cultural Exposé.