Details

Nigeria, 1943. The King is dead, and tonight his Horseman must escort him to the Ancestors. I am the master of my fate. When the hour comes watch me dance along the narrowing path... My soul is eager. I shall not turn aside. As Elesin Oba dances through the closing marketplace, flirting with the women, pursued by his praise-singer and an entourage of drummers, he promises to honour the ancient Yoruba custom of ritual suicide and so accompany his ruler on the final journey. But a life so rich is hard to leave, and this is a British colony where such customs are not tolerated, no matter how sacred. Set against the conflict of indigenous and invader, Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka's extraordinary play uses Elesin's transition from the living to the dead to examine the essence of corruption and the power of the human will. You white races know how to survive; I've seen proof of that... But at least have the humility to let others survive in their own way.

Creatives/Company

Author: Wole Soyinka

What's On By Year ...

Archive listings for Death and the Kings Horseman (2009)

Work type: Play. There are performances of this work in the listings (current and future) database, see Death and the Kings Horseman

T1925636229

Producer National Theatre. Director Rufus Norris. Design Katrina Lindsay. Lighting Paule Constable. Sound Ian Dickinson. Performer Nonso Anozie (Elesin). Performer David Ajala (HRH The Prince). Performer Medina Ajikawo (Bride). Performer Sarah Amankwah (Ensemble). Performer Claire Benedict (Iyaloja). Performer Robert Eugene (Ensemble). Performer Derek Ezanagu (Sergeant Amusa). Performer Karlina Grace (Ensemble). Performer Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Olunde). Performer Hazel Holder (Ensemble). Performer Gbemisola Ikumelo (Ensemble). Performer Tony James-Andersson (Ensemble). Performer Jenny Jules (Jane Pikings). Performer Gemma McFarlane-Edmond (Ensemble). Performer Coral Messam (Ensemble). Performer Lucian Msamati (Simon Pikings). Performer Rex Obano (Ensemble). Performer Anthony Ofoegbu (The Resident). Performer Demi Oyediran (Ensemble). Performer Daniel Poyser (Joseph). Performer Jason Rowe (Ensemble). Performer Seun Shote (Ensemble). Performer Giles Terera (Praise Singer). Performer David Webber (Aide de Camp).

1 Apr 09 to 17 Jun 09

Olivier (National Theatre), West End :: V373
listing details L1014514751

Reviews

No UKTW or User reviews available.

Ad not shown

CORONAVIRUS: All venues in the UK were shut down on March 16, 2020, and the restrictions were finally lifted on July 19, 2021. It is important to mention that the UK Theatre Web archive listings (iUKTDb) from March 2020 to July 2021 might not be accurate due to the lack of information regarding rescheduled and cancelled shows.