A Season in the Congo
by Aimé Césaire
7:30pm
Wednesday & Saturday matinees (except 6, 10, 13, 17 July & 14 August): 2:30pm
Running time: 2 hours 45 minutes including a 20 minute interval
Please note that this production has now closed
★★★★
Time Out, The Guardian, Daily Telegraph, The Independent, Metro, Evening Standard, The Times, Mail on Sunday
★★★★
“Chiwetel Ejiofor is perfect in Joe Wright’s storming, spectacular production”
The Times
★★★★
“Right from the start, we know we’re in for something special”
Evening Standard
“Chiwetel Ejiofor is absolutely amazing, superb, incredible”
Huffington Post
"Steal, beg or do almost anything to get a ticket" - Baz Bambigoye, Daily Mail
BAFTA Award winning director Joe Wright (Anna Karenina, Atonement, Pride & Prejudice) directs Olivier Award winner Chiwetel Ejiofor (BBC2's Dancing on the Edge, Othello at the Donmar Warehouse, Children of Men, Dirty Pretty Things) in the UK premiere of an epic retelling of a vibrant nation’s turbulent first year of freedom.
Pulsing with music and bursting with dance choreographed by the acclaimed Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, this gripping drama charts the rise and fall of legendary leader Patrice Lumumba, whose passionate determination to free his people from Belgian rule inspired great courage and betrayal.
"Joe Wright is the hottest property in Hollywood"
The Guardian
"One of the best British actors of his generation ... Chiwetel Ejiofor has the acting world at his mercy"
The Guardian
Cast & Creatives
Direction Joe Wright | Co-Direction Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui | Design Lizzie Clachan | Puppet Direction Sarah Wright | Light Jon Clark | Sound Craig Berkey | Original Compositions Kabongo Tshisensa and Kaspy N’Dia | Pre-recorded music produced/remixed by Rodaidh McDonald and Richard Russell
(featuring DRC Music’s Kinshasa One Two) | Associate Sound Designer Tom Gibbons | Music Supervisor Tim Sutton | Voice Emma Woodvine | Dramaturg Ruth Little | Casting Dixie Chassay | Jerwood Assistant Director Elayce Ismail
With
Lydie Alberto, Nandi Bhebhe, Brian Bovell, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Kurt Egyiawan, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Daniel Kaluuya, Joan Iyiola, Josépha Madoki, Joseph Mydell, Kaspy N'Dia, Sandra Reid, Ira Mandela Siobhan, Oliver Tida Tida, Kabongo Tshisensa
Direction Joe Wright
Co-Direction Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
Design Lizzie Clachan
Puppet Direction Sarah Wright
Light Jon Clark
Sound Craig Berkey
Original Compositions Kabongo Tshisensa and Kaspy N’Dia
Pre-recorded music produced/remixed by Rodaidh McDonald and Richard Russell
(featuring DRC Music’s Kinshasa One Two)
Associate Sound Designer Tom Gibbons
Music Supervisor Tim Sutton
Voice Emma Woodvine
Dramaturg Ruth Little
Casting Dixie Chassay
Jerwood Assistant Director Elayce Ismail
With
Lydie Alberto, Nandi Bhebhe, Brian Bovell, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Kurt Egyiawan, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Daniel Kaluuya, Joan Iyiola, Josépha Madoki, Joseph Mydell, Kaspy N'Dia, Sandra Reid, Ira Mandela Siobhan, Oliver Tida Tida, Kabongo Tshisensa
BBC Front Row discuss A Season in the Congo, Patrice Lumumba and listen to extracts from the performance
A town in DR Congo is to be built and named in honour of Patrice Lumumba, say BBC News
Chiwetel Ejiofor is to star in 'Twelve Years a Slave', a new movie to be released in December.
An intriguing article from the BBC about the assassination of Patrice Lumumba
'I go nuts if I'm idle', director Joe Wright explains to the Guardian.
The Telegraph interviews Joe Wright about his move to directing for the stage.
Chiwetel Ejiofor talks to the Independent about race, acting and his upcoming BBC drama.
The Guardian talk to Joe Wright about his leap from screen to stage.
Joe Wright to direct Chiwetel Ejiofor in A Season in the Congo (BBC News).
Chiwetel Ejiofor speaks to The Telegraph about playing Patrice Lumumba, his trip to Congo and meeting Lumumba's family