23 March 2017
BARBER SHOP CHRONICLES
a new play by Inua Ellams
Previews from 30 May, press night 7 June, in repertoire until 8 July
A co-production with Fuel and West Yorkshire Playhouse. Directed by Bijan Sheibani.
Newsroom, political platform, local hot-spot, confession box, preacher-pulpit and football stadium.
For generations, African men have gathered in barber shops to discuss the world.
This dynamic new play journeys from a barber shop in London, to Johannesburg, Harare,
Kampala, Lagos and Accra. These are places where the banter can be barbed and the truth is
always telling.
Barber Shop Chronicles is Inua Ellams' third play at the National, following the exhilarating The
14th Tale and Black T-shirt Collection.
The cast includes Fisayo Akinade, Hammed Animashaun, Peter Bankole, Maynard Eziashi, Simon
Manyonda, Patrice Naiambana, Cyril Nri, Kwami Odoom, Sule Rimi, Abdul Salis, David Webber,
and Anthony Welsh.
The production is designed by Rae Smith with lighting design by Jack Knowles, movement
direction by Aline David and sound design by Gareth Fry.
Barber Shop Chronicles will play at West Yorkshire Playhouse 12 – 29 July.
Barber Shop Chronicles is co-commissioned by Fuel and the National Theatre. Development
funded by Arts Council England with the support of Fuel, National Theatre, West Yorkshire
Playhouse, The Binks Trust, British Council ZA, Òran Mór and A Play, a Pie and a Pint.
The Dorfman Partner is Neptune Investment Management.
Talks and events
19 May 10.30am - 4.30pm
In Depth – Working as a Producer
10 June 2 - 5pm
In Context – Spoken Word and Monologues in Black Theatre
19 June 6.30pm
Inua Ellams
20 June 6pm
Men and Mental Health
ENDS
For images, please click here (password: pressdownload)
Press contact:
Martin Shippen on 020 7452 3233 / [email protected]
Press contact for the West Yorkshire Playhouse:
Rachel Riach on 0113 213 7273 / [email protected]
Notes to Editors
The National Theatre is dedicated to making the very best theatre and sharing it with as many
people as possible. We produce productions on the South Bank in London each year, ranging from
re-imagined classics to modern masterpieces and new work by contemporary writers and theatremakers. The National’s work is seen on tour throughout the UK, in London’s West End,
internationally (including on Broadway) and in collaborations and co-productions with theatres
across the country.
Across 2015-2016, the NT staged 34 productions and gave 3,134 performances in the UK and
internationally. The NT’s award-winning programme had a UK audience of 2.5 million, 700,000 of
which were NT Live audiences.
The Clore Learning Centre at the NT is committed to providing programmes for schools, young
people, families, community groups and adult learners, including the nationwide youth theatre
festival Connections and playwriting competition New Views. In 2015-2016, we engaged with over
181,000 participants through the NT Learning events programme. Further, over 2,200 secondary
schools have signed up to the free streaming service, On Demand. In Schools since its launch in
September 2015.
nationaltheatre.org.uk
@nationaltheatre
@NT_PressOffice
Fuel aims to catalyse positive change in the world by producing new live performance by inspiring
theatre makers for and with people across the UK and beyond. We seek to realise this vision by
producing a programme of artistic work inspired by the ambition of the outstanding artists we
support. Founded in 2004 and based at Somerset House, London, Fuel works locally, nationally
and internationally to develop, create and tour new performance to the widest possible audience.
Fuel is a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England, and a registered charity.
fueltheatre.com
@FuelTheatre
West Yorkshire Playhouse has a reputation both nationally and internationally as a leading UK
producing theatre. The theatre is a cultural hub, a place where people gather to tell and share
stories and to engage in world class theatre. From large scale spectacle to intimate performance
the Playhouse develops and makes work for the stage, for found spaces, for touring, for schools
and community venues. Alongside work for the stage the Playhouse is dedicated to providing
creative engagement opportunities, building and running sustainable projects that reach out to a
diverse range of communities. Supporting new and emerging artists is key and the theatre provides
creative space for new writers, directors and individual theatre makers to refine their practice.
The Playhouse’s Spring / Summer 2017 Season includes Pygmalion, a radical new staging of
Bernard Shaw’s classic, directed by Sam Pritchard and coproduced with Headlong and Nuffield
Southampton Theatres. Romeo and Juliet, a fresh new production capturing the impact of raging
intergenerational conflict and social unrest in a sharply resonant present-day setting directed by
Amy Leach. The Graduate, a new stylish co-production with Curve in association with Simon
Friend and Gavin Kalin Productions, directed by Lucy Bailey. Lifeboat by Catherine Wheels
Theatre Company which visits community venues across Leeds following its Playhouse staging; a
powerful contemporary staging of The Grapes of Wrath directed by Abbey Wright and co-produced
with Nuffield Southampton Theatres, Nottingham Playhouse and Royal & Derngate Northampton.
Ode to Leeds directed by West Yorkshire Playhouse’s Artistic Director, James Brining. A new play
by Zodwa Nyoni inspired by the story of the city’s renowned spoken word poetry group Leeds
Young Authors. Barber Shop Chronicles written by Inua Ellams invites audiences into the barber’s
chair across Africa and the UK, in a co-production with National Theatre and Fuel directed by Bijan
Sheibani.
wyp.org.uk
@wyplayhouse
Facebook: westyorkshireplayhouse