The world premiere of Once Upon a Time in Sokoto is coming to Nottingham Playhouse this month. Produced by Fuel with Touring Together, it’s an epic, gripping family drama, from internationally celebrated poet and playwright Inua Ellams (Barber Shop Chronicles, Three Sisters).

The world premiere of Once Upon a Time in Sokoto is coming to Nottingham Playhouse this month. Produced by Fuel with Touring Together, it’s an epic, gripping family drama, from internationally celebrated poet and playwright Inua Ellams (Barber Shop Chronicles, Three Sisters).

Directed by Roy Alexander Weise MBE (Nine Night, ROBOTA), the production stars Adeola Yemitan (Elektra, Much Ado About Nothing) playing Nafisa, Antonia Layiwola (Is Dat U Yh?, Silkworm) playing Zinari, Bayo Gbadamosi (The Great, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) playing Hadiru and Will Atiomo (Blitz, The Sandman) playing Yusef.

Once Upon a Time in Sokoto has received outstanding reviews in the first part of its tour. The Guardian 4* review describes it as ‘an exuberant history lesson on intra-African slavery’ and East Midlands Theatre 5* review called it and ‘eye-opening experience’ and ‘a lesser-known history of patriarchy, faith, war and slavery in Nigeria.’

Commissioned by Fuel for the inaugural Touring Together production, the Alfred Fagon Award-winning Once Upon a Time in Sokoto tells the epic story of a beautiful but unlikely friendship. Differences in faith, culture and heritage are overcome in the face of new enemies, in a gripping family drama set against the backdrop of events leading to the creation of Nigeria.

There are powers that bind the world together, softer than spirits yet stronger than stone, that tie the river to the tree, the tree to rain clouds, rain clouds to the land, and people to each other.

Inua Ellams, writer, said;

“At its core, Once Upon a Time in Sokoto is the story of an extremely unlikely friendship between an enslaved woman and her former mistress; a relationship forged as personal and political worlds tragically collide. It explores power, faith, heritage and culture.”

Roy Alexander Weise MBE, director, said:

“I’m thrilled to be working with Fuel again and to be staging and supporting the development of Inua’s extraordinary new award-winning play; I have wanted to work with him for a long time and long admired his work; the distinct humour, the epic-ness of his stories, his astute microscopic lens on nuggets of human experience.

“Set in the 1800s, it’s an unexpected period drama, unveiling the hidden history of a complex pre-colonial African Islamic civilisation (the Sokoto Caliphate – located in the northern region of modern-day Nigeria) which I didn’t know about before reading a draft of the play. It’s big and theatrical, witty and funny, brutal, bold, beautiful and plays with time in a stunning way.”

Chief Executive of Nottingham Playhouse Stephanie Sirr MBE, said:

“Inua Ellams is one of the most articulate and poetic voices writing for theatre. This piece is so moving and, we hope, really resonant to many of our communities.”

The Creative Team includes Writer Inua Ellams, Director Roy Alexander Weise MBE, Set Designer Amelia Jane Hankin, Composer Femi Temowo, Movement Director Coral Messam, Costume Designer Jessica Cabassa, Casting Director Heather Basten, Associate Director Brigitte Adela and Production Manager Helen Mugridge.

Touring Together is a brand-new nationwide touring initiative committed to taking new theatre of the finest quality across the country, led by Fuel and China Plate in collaboration with Brighton Dome, Leeds Playhouse, Oxford Playhouse, Royal & Derngate, Northampton and Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry.