Tiata Fahodzi presents

Tiata Delights 07

A week-long presentation of new work from emerging and established African writers.

Six plays showcased as rehearsed readings with live musical accompaniment from James Lascelles / Juwon Ogungbe.

Each reading will be preceded by a short new play by Pulitzer prize-winning author Suzan-Lori Parks.

Tiata Delights is in its 3rd year and previous featured writers include
Oladipo Agboluaje (The Road Taken, 2004 & The Estate, 2006), Michael Bhim (Pure Gold, 2006), Kofi Agyemang (The Other Woman, 2006), San Cassimally (Buga Me, 2006) and Amma Duodu (Against your Own, 2004).

Tiata Fahodzi is celebrating its tenth year of placing Africans at the heart of British theatre. The company returns to Soho Theatre in October and November with the world premiere of Joe Guy, a new commission from Roy Williams.

For more information visit www.tiatafahodzi.com

Tiata Delights 07 timetable

Monday 23 April

High Life by Lizzy Dijeh (Nigeria)
Directed by Olusola Oyeleye
Two Nigerian families living in today’s East End. One faces a horrible moral dilemma following the death of their popular teenage daughter whilst the other hides a secret connected to that loss. Cultural conformity battles against ethics and moral courage. How far will people go to protect their family, reputation, and their pride?

Tuesday 24 April

Zuva Crumbling by Lucian G. W. Msamati (Tanzania)
Directed by Svetlana Dimcovic
Inspired by events in the recent political history of Zimbabwe, Faith, a journalist and her colleagues find themselves implicated in the sudden disappearance of a charismatic up and coming politician in Harare. A hard hitting political drama where the lives of a few ordinary citizens are caught up in extraordinary and potentially cataclysmic circumstances.

Wednesday 25 April

A Journey Remembered by Nayesh Radia (Malawi)
Directed by Femi Elufowoju, jr
The 2007 Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade in the British Empire is marked by Tiata Fahodzi with this journey of two very different families from a distant past. The despair of indentured labourers in 1850’s East Africa passes through the generations, devastating the lives of their successors seemingly living successful lives in contemporary Britain.

Thursday 26 April

Oxford Street by Levi David Addai (Ghana)
Directed by Syan Blake
Kofi, a young, black security guard manages to be a popular figure with his fellow staff members, but when an old ‘friend’ from his neighbourhood begins working at the same place, he threatens to destroy Kofi's image and reinforce the stereotypes he has worked hard to wipe away.
First and second generation Ghanaians in an Oxford Street retail store explore ambition, and responsibility to others.

Friday 27 April

The Man Who Committed Thought / African Experimental Odes (double bill)
By Patrice Naiambana (Sierra Leone)
Directed by Adaora Nwandu
Having made a life in Britain during civil war in Sierra Leone how does an elderly father reclaim his land and dreams? How does a son bear up to the challenge of being in two places at once?
Performer-creator Patrice Naiambana (of Tribal Soul) offers an extract from his Edinburgh Fringe First Winner and a new offering which forms the second part of the trilogy.

Saturday 28 April

The Quest (Filega) by Beminabu Kebede (Ethiopia)
Directed by Femi Elufowoju, jr
Spying, secrets, and fatal passions slowly emerge in a plot of Shakespearean proportions in this love ‘quadrangle’ set in a village at harvest time in the Ethiopian highlands.
The play was originally performed in Amharic for the BBC World Service Trust broadcast in Ethiopia (February 2007), produced by Fiona Ledger.

365Days/365Plays

Directed by Femi Elufowoju, jr

As an added bonus to this year’s festival, Tiata Fahodzi will also be showcasing the UK premiere of 365 DAYS/365 PLAYS Suzan-Lori Parks’s extraordinary feat of writing a play a day for the whole year.

Each Tiata Delights play will begin with a short performance (no longer than three minutes) of a piece conceived and dedicated for that particular day within Suzan-Lori’s cycle. The beauty of this staging lies in the fact that these same plays will be performed on the  same day in at least 17 other venues around the world.

365Days/365Plays aims to raise awareness of the deep underlying unity which universal theatre making exudes, and offers Tiata Fahodzi the rare opportunity to be part of a vast international project while retaining artistic control over its own.

Monday 23  

Make me a Willow cabin at your Gate

Tuesday 24

Tundra

Wednesday 25

Lights and Rats

Thursday 26

Giant Step

Friday 27

Diva

Saturday 28

The Development of Tourism in Los Angeles County

A message from the US producers:

Make Theater. 

Make History. 

The 365 Global Festival invites every theater in the world to join a grassroots premiere of Suzan-Lori Parks' 365Days/365Plays.

Participating theaters will each present seven plays, representing one week of this play cycle, before then passing the cycle on to the next theater in a cultural relay race that links over 700 theaters around the world.

Produced by Bonnie Metzgar and Suzan-Lori Parks, the 365 Festival will be performed from November 13, 2006 through November 12, 2007.

To join, visit www.365days365plays.com.