Back The High Table

The High Table

Temi Wilkey

Cover

cover

Bush Theatre and Birmingham

Repertory Theatre present

The High Table

by Temi Wilkey

8 February – 21 March 2020

Bush Theatre, London

25 March – 9 April 2020

Birmingham Repertory Theatre

Cast

Teju Stefan Adegbola
Mosun/Yetunde Jumoké Fashola
Musician/Co-Composer Mohamed Gueye
Leah/Adebisi Ibinabo Jack
Tara Cherrelle Skeete
Segun/Babatunde David Webber

Creative Team

Playwright Temi Wilkey
Director Daniel Bailey
Set and Costume Designer Natasha Jenkins
Lighting Designer José Tevar
Sound Designer/Composer Enrico Aurigemma
Movement/Associate Director Gabrielle Nimo
Dramaturg Deirdre O’Halloran
Costume Supervisor India Askem
Casting Director Ruth O’Dowd
Production Managers Marco Savo and Ian Taylor for eStage
Company Stage Manager Adriana Perucca
Assistant Stage Manager Crystal Gayle

With assistance from Bush Theatre’s Project 2036 cohort (2019–20): Set Designer QianEr Jin, Sound Designer Darius McFarlane and Lighting Designer Devon Muller. With further thanks to Wabriya King (drama therapy and safeguarding support), Oladipo Agboluaje (Yorùbá pronunciation guidance) and Esi Acquaah-Harrison (dialect and accent coaching). With special commendation to Nkechinyere Nwobani-Akanwo.

Cast

STEFAN ADEGBOLA

Stefan Adegbola’s theatre work includes: Botticelli in the Fire (Hampstead Theatre), Richard III (Headlong), Titus Andronicus (RSC), The Convert and The Christians (Gate Theatre), After Independence (Arcola Theatre), The Merchant of Venice and Comedy of Errors (Globe Theatre), Widowers’ Houses (Orange Tree Theatre) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Noël Coward Theatre). Television work includes: Enterprice (Fudge Park Productions) and Doctor Who (BBC).

Film work includes: Anemone (BBC Films) and The Mire (Eclectic Films).

JUMOKÉ FASHOLA

Jumoké Fashola’s theatre credits include Zawe Ashton’s for all the women who thought they were Mad (Hackney Showroom), Kurt Weill’s Lost in the Stars, Bernstein’s Mass (Southbank Centre), The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives (Arcola Theatre) and House of Corrections (Riverside Studios).

In addition, she has written and appeared in one-woman shows including Dirty Little Secrets (London Festival of Cabaret / Bush Theatre’s Radar Festival / St James Theatre), and Protest – Divas & Revolutions (EFG London Jazz Festival / Royal Albert Hall / The Pheasantry). She is also the creator of the Jazz Verse Jukebox, which had a seven-year residency at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, and is now running monthly at Hoxton Hall. Fashola is also a radio and television broadcaster, currently presenting J to Z on BBC Radio 3 and Sunday Breakfast – Inspirit on BBC Radio London.

MOHAMED GUEYE

Mohamed Gueye is a West African percussionist based in London. Born into a large griot family of drummers from Dakar, in Senegal, he learnt the Sabar and Djembe drum with his family from the age of 5 and has been playing professionally since the age of 15. Mohamed trained at the Centre Culturel Blaise Senghor in Dakar where he performed with groups including Ambassador and Daradji. Since moving to London in 2010, he has performed at festivals across the UK including Womad, African Drum Village, Drum Camp, Africa Oye and BEATS Cornwall with African stars such as Baaba Maal, Carlou D, Aida Samb and Africa Express.

Mohamed currently works and performs with numerous London-based dancers and musicians including Diene Sagna (Yaye Dib Sabar), Alesandra Seutin (Vocab Dance), Irineu Nogueira, Landing Mane (Jamo Jamo Arts), Amadou Diagne and Abdoulaye Samb. He is an artist with the West African drum and dance company Yaye Dib Sabar and teaches in several primary schools in London as well as adult and professional classes and workshops.

Mohamed has also recently been interviewed for the BBC World Service Forum ‘Talking Drums of West Africa’ which can be found on the BBC World Service website https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3cswptb

IBINABO JACK

Ibinabo Jack made her West End theatrical debut in Legally Blonde after which she went on to star as Lorrell Robinson in the original West End cast of Dreamgirls; her performance in this role went on to win her ‘Best Supporting Actress in a New Production of a Musical’ in the Broadway World awards. Other theatre credits include Our Lady of Kibeho (Northampton Theatre Royal), The Bodyguard (UK Tour and West End), Hot Stuff (Oldham Coliseum), Little Shop of Horrors (Manchester Royal Exchange), Porgy and Bess (The Royal Danish Theatre), The Color Purple (The Menier Chocolate Factory), Raindogs (Trafalgar Studios) and The Lion King (Disneyland Paris).

In 2017 Ibinabo joined the cast of ITV’s Vera and is now a regular sidekick to Brenda Blethyn. Other TV credits include Doctors and Warren for the BBC. Ibinabo also appears in the feature film Two for Joy starring Samantha Morton.

CHERRELLE SKEETE

Cherrelle Skeete’s theatre credits include King Headley (Stratford East), A Small Place (Gate Theatre), Fun Home (Young Vic), The Seagull and Jack and the Beanstalk (Lyric Hammersmith), Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Palace Theatre), Three Days in the Country and The Amen Corner (National Theatre), Wind in the Willows (Royal and Derngate), And I and Silence (Finborough Theatre), The Lion King (Lyceum Theatre) and Joey Boy (The MAC). Her television credits include Silent Witness, Doctors, Danny and the Human Zoo, The Five, Ordinary Lies, Call the Midwife and HANNA.

DAVID WEBBER

David Webber’s theatre credits include: Barber Shop Chronicles at the National Theatre and in Australia, New Zealand, USA, UK and New York, Arms And The Man (Watford Palace Theatre), The Hudsucker Proxy (Liverpool Playhouse and Nuffield Theatre, Southampton), When Blair Had Bush And Bunga (Lee Menzies Productions at Edinburgh Festival), Catch-22 (Northern Stage and UK Tour), Sweet Bird of Youth (Old Vic), The Government Inspector (Young Vic), Death and the King’s Horseman; Leave Taking (National Theatre), Twelfth Night (Nottingham Playhouse), Dame in Jack and the Beanstalk (Theatre Royal, Stratford East), The Wizard of Oz (Theatre Royal, Northampton), Aladdin (Watford Palace), The Big Life (Apollo Shaftesbury Avenue), Othello in Othello; The Sneeze (Good Company); What’s in the Cat (Contact Theatre / Royal Court), Aladdin (Watford Palace), The Bassett Table; One Love and Master Harold and The Boys (Bristol Old Vic), The Beatification of Area Boy (West Yorkshire Playhouse and world tour), Two Tracks and Text Me (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Antony and Cleopatra; The Lion; The Road; Smile Orange; Flyin’ West; The Looking Glass and King Lear (Talawa Theatre), The Merchant of Venice (Manchester Library Theatre), Ragamuffin, The Colored Museum (Double Edge Theatre Company), Remembrance (Carib Theatre Company). His television credits include: Death in Paradise, Year of The Rabbit, Chewing Gum, Holby City, Youngers, The Catherine Tate Show, The Royal Bodyguard, How Not to Live Your Life, Sarah Jane Adventures, Being Human, series regular in Grass, Prime Suspect, London’s Burning, The Knock, Coronation Street and The Bill.

His film credits include: The Children Act, Captain Phillips, Broken, Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont, Tipping The Velvet, All or Nothing, The 51st State, Among Giants and The Avengers.

Creatives

TEMI WILKEY – WRITER

Temi Wilkey is an actor and writer from North London. She trained as an actor with the National Youth Theatre REP company. Her acting credits include Comedy of Errors (National Theatre), Hamlet and Cymbeline (RSC), Jubilee (Manchester Royal Exchange), Manhunt (ITV), Years and Years (BBC) and Land Without Dreams (Gate Theatre, London). Temi was also the cofounder and co-director of Pecs, the Drag King collective, and performed in sell-out runs of their productions at venues including Tate Britain, Soho Theatre and The Yard theatre. Temi was a member of one of the Royal Court Introduction to Playwriting groups in 2017. In 2019 she became a member of BBC London Voices and a recipient of the High-End Television Levy Writer’s bursary scheme, developing her first pilot under the mentorship of Lucy Prebble.

The High Table is her first and debut play.

DANIEL BAILEY – DIRECTOR

Daniel Bailey is Associate Director of the Bush Theatre and Associate Director at Birmingham Repertory Theatre, originally joining The REP as part of the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme. Directing work includes Unknown Rivers (Hampstead Theatre), Blue/Orange, Concubine, Stuff, I Knew You, Abuelo, Jump! We’ll Catch You, Made in India/Britain and Exhale. He has previously been Resident Director at the National Theatre Studio, Associate Artist at Theatre Royal, Stratford East and Resident Assistant Director at the Finborough Theatre. Daniel studied Modern Drama at Brunel University before participating in the Young Vic’s Introduction to Directing. His previous theatre directing credits include My Darling Wife (Talawa Theatre Company), Pre-Judgement Day and Covered (New Heritage Theatre). His film directing credits include On Belonging (Young Vic), Malachi (S.E.D), Floating on Clouds (Kingdom Entertainment Group) and Y.O.L.O. Therapy (S.E.D.).

NATASHA JENKINS – SET AND COSTUME DESIGN

Set and Costume Designer Natasha Jenkins’ credits include Faith, Hope and Charity (National Theatre); In Basildon (Queens Theatre, Hornchurch); Beyond Caring (National Theatre/The Yard/European Tour); LOVE (National Theatre/UK Tour); Richard III (Perth Theatre); Clockwork Canaries (Drum Theatre Plymouth); Stand By (Utter. Fringe First Winner); The Whip Hand (National Theatre of Scotland/ Traverse Theatre/Birmingham Repertory); Monstrous Bodies (Dundee Rep); 20b (Birmingham Repertory/European Tour); Romeo and Juliet (RADA). Costume Design credits include Eine Griechische Trilogie (Berliner Ensemble); Uncle Vanya (Home MCR).

TV and film design credits include Ma’am (Bumble Female Film Force Winner 2019); LOVE (BBC1/Cuba Productions); Loose Ends (dir. Natalie Burt. Shortlisted for the East End Film Festival); Forgiveness (dir. Conor O’Callaghan); Here We Are (dir. Pamela Carter).

JOSÉ TEVAR – LIGHTING DESIGNER

José Tevar has recently designed for National Dance Company Wales, Middle Child, Lost in Translation Circus and the Bush Theatre. Previous projects include designing for Theatre, Dance, Circus, Musicals, touring, Fringe and Gig Theatre.

ENRICO AURIGEMMA – SOUND DESIGNER/COMPOSER

Enrico Aurigemma is a composer, sound designer and musician as well as a sound engineer with a particular interest in sound design and composition for theatre. His design credits include: Dead Nature by Tim Spooner and Enrico Aurigemma (Artsadmin), Return to Elm House by Sarah Goldings (Battersea Arts Centre), The Voice of Nature by Tim Spooner (Artsadmin), At Home in Gaza and London by Station House Opera (Artsadmin), Abuelo by Amahra Spence (Birmingham Repertory Theatre), Concubine by Amahra Spence (Birmingham Repertory Theatre), Box Clever Theatre’s Frankenstein and The Merchant of Venice, Hard Graft by David Sheppeard (Ovalhouse Theatre). Enrico is currently working as sound designer and composer for Strictly Arts Theatre’s new production Not Black and White and Amahra Spence’s new play All the Lives as well as touring the A/V installation Dead Nature created in collaboration with Tim Spooner, produced by Artsadmin.

GABRIELLE NIMO – MOVEMENT AND ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Gabrielle Nimo has worked with Talawa Theatre Company and Emergency Exit Arts on Creating Routes, a training programme for facilitators. Since then she has taken on a number of roles including Dance Captain for Everything That Rises Must Dance (Complicité Theatre), Movement Director for Nouveau Riche’s TIMBUKTU (Gerry’s Cafe, Theatre Royal Stratford East), Director of Harrow Arts Centre Youth Theatre and most recently, Movement Director for Unknown Rivers (Hampstead Theatre).

Alongside her work in theatre, Gaby currently teaches Movement at Foundation, BA (Hons) and MA Level in Drama Schools.

DEIRDRE O’HALLORAN

Deirdre O’Halloran is the Associate Dramaturg at the Bush Theatre, working to identify and build relationships with new writers, commission new work and guide plays to the stage. At the Bush she’s dramaturged plays including Fringe First winner Baby Reindeer by Richard Gadd, and An Adventure by Vinay Patel. Deirdre was previously Literary Associate at Soho Theatre, where she worked as a dramaturg on plays including Girls by Theresa Ikoko and Fury by Phoebe Eclair-Powell. She led on Soho Theatre’s Writers’ Lab programme and the biennial Verity Bargate Award. As a freelancer, Deirdre has also been a reader for Out of Joint, Sonia Friedman Productions and Papatango.

Bush Theatre

We make theatre for London. Now.

The Bush is a world-famous home for new plays and an internationally renowned champion of playwrights. We discover, nurture and produce the best new writers from the widest range of backgrounds from our home in a distinctive corner of west London.

The Bush has won over 100 awards and developed an enviable reputation for touring its acclaimed productions nationally and internationally.

We are excited by exceptional new voices, stories and perspectives - particularly those with contemporary bite which reflect the vibrancy of British culture now.

Located in the newly renovated old library on Uxbridge Road in the heart of Shepherd's Bush, the theatre houses two performance spaces, a rehearsal room and the lively Library Bar.

Bush Theatre

Artistic Director Lynette Linton
Executive Director Lauren Clancy
Marketing and Sales Officer Shannon Clarke
Associate Director Daniel Bailey
Technician Francis Botu
Head of Marketing Beatrice Burrows
Producer Jessica Campbell
Technical Manager Amy Clarey
Development Officer Florence Collenette
Technical Intern Poppy Templeton
Community Assistant Katie Greenall
Head of Finance Neil Harris
Community Coordinator Izzy Hatton
Literary Assistant Ifrah Ismail
Events Manager Shaun Johnson
Theatre Administrator and PA to the Executive Jessica Pentney
Head of Development Sylvain Malburet
Assistant Venue Operations Manager Tim McNiven
Digital Marketing Officer Tasha Msanide
Associate Dramaturg Deirdre O’Halloran
Assistant Producer Oscar Owen
Press Manager Martin Shippen
Community Producer Holly Smith
Development Assistant Eleanor Tindall
General Manager Angela Wachner
Venue Operations Manager Barbara Zemper
Marketing Intern Gehna Badhwar

Duty Managers

Liz Arday, Jack Albert Cook, Isabele Hernandez, Marissa McKinnon and Eljai Morais

Bar Supervisors

David Bolwell, Nieta Irons, Sidsel Rostrup, Melissa Stephen and Rafael Uzcategui

Box Office, Bar & Front of House Team

Ayesha Charles, Jack Byam-Shaw, Roxane Cabassut, Beth Church, Ilaria Ciardelli, Ryan Cottee, Ewa Dina, Lydia Feerick, Erika Finca, Joshua Glenister, Kelsey Gordon, Matias Hailu, Olivia Hanrahan-Barnes, Judd Launder, Munaye Lichtenstein, Jennefer O’Garrow, Emily Orme, Kwame Owusu, Max Partridge, Charlie Phillips, Jasmine Prince, Humaira Wadiwala, Robin Wilks, Charlie Wood, Rhea Withero-Taylor and Hugh Wyld

Board of Trustees:

Simon Johnson (Chair), Mark Dakin, Simon Dowson-Collins, Niove Janis, Nike Jonah, Khafi Kareem, Lynette Linton, Isabella Macpherson, Kathryn Marten, Rajiv Parkash, Stephen Pidcock and Catherine Score

Bush Theatre, 7 Uxbridge Road, London W12 8LJ

Box Office: 020 8743 5050 | Administration: 020 8743 3584

Email: [email protected]

bushtheatre.co.uk

Alternative Theatre Company Ltd

The Bush Theatre is a Registered Charity and a company limited by guarantee.

Registered in England no. 1221968 Charity no. 270080

THANK YOU

The Bush Theatre would like to thank all its supporters whose valuable contributions have helped us to create a platform for our future and to promote the highest quality new writing, develop the next generation of creative talent, lead innovative community engagement work and champion diversity.

LONE STAR

Gianni Alen-Buckley

Michael Alen-Buckley

Rafael & Anne-Helene Biosse

Duplan

Alice Findlay

Charles Holloway

Adam & Claire-Bridget

Kenwright

HANDFUL OF STARS

Dawn & Gary Baker

Charlie Bigham

Judy Bollinger

Clive & Helena Butler

Grace Chan

Clare & Chris Clark

Clyde Cooper

Sue Fletcher

Richard & Jane Gordon

Priscilla John

Simon & Katherine Johnson

Philippa Seal & Philip Jones QC

Joanna Kennedy

V&F Lukey

Robert Ledger & Sally Mousdale

Georgia Oetker

Philip & Biddy Percival

Clare Rich

Joana & Henrik Schliemann

Lesley Hill & Russ Shaw

van Tulleken Family

and one anonymous donor.

RISING STARS

Nicholas Alt

Mark Bentley

David Brooks

Catharine Browne

Matthew Byam Shaw

Tim & Andrea Clark

Sarah Clarke

Claude & Susie Cochin de Billy

Lois Cox

Susie Cuff

Matthew Cushen

Philippa Dolphin

John Fraser

Jack Gordon & Kate Lacy

Hugh & Sarah Grootenhuis

Jessica Ground

Thea Guest

Patrick Harrison

Roberta Jaffe-Wilcockson

Ann & Ravi Joseph

Davina & Malcolm Judelson

Miggy Littlejohns

RISING STARS (continued)

Isabella Macpherson

Liz & Luke Mayhew

Michael McCoy

Judith Mellor

Caro Millington

Dan & Laurie Mucha

Mark & Anne Paterson

Emily Reeve

Renske & Marion

Shaheen Schleifer

Saleem & Alexandra Siddiqi

Brian Smith

Peter Tausig

Guy Vincent & Sarah Mitchell

Trish Wadley

Amanda Waggott

and three anonymous donors.

SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS

AKA

Alen-Buckley LLP

Gianni & Michael Alen-Buckley

Jeremy Attard Manche

Bill & Judy Bollinger

Edward Bonham Carter

Martin Bowley

Duke & Duchess of Buccleuch

The Hon Mrs Louise Burness

Sir Charles & Lady Isabella Burrell

Philip & Tita Byrne

CHK Charities Limited

Peppe & Quentin Ciardi

Joanna & Hadyn Cunningham

Leo & Grega Daly

Patrick & Mairead Flaherty

Sue Fletcher

The Hon Sir Rocco Forte

The Hon Portia Forte

Mark Franklin

The Gatsby Charitable

Foundation

The Right Hon Piers Gibson

Farid & Emille Gragour

Victoria Gray John Gordon

Vivienne Guinness

Melanie Hall

The Headley Trust

Brian Heyworth

Lesley Hill & Russ Shaw

Michael Holland & Denise

O’Donoghue

Charles Holloway

Graham & Amanda Hutton

James Gorst Architects Ltd.

Simon & Katherine Johnson

SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS (continued)

Tarek & Diala Khlat

Bernard Lambilliotte

Marion Lloyd

The Lord Forte Foundation

Peter & Bettina Mallinson

Mahoro Charitable Trust

James Christopher Miller

Mitsui Fodosan (U.K.) Ltd

Alfred Munkenbeck III

Nick Hern Books

Georgia Oetker

RAB Capital

Kevin Pakenham

Sir Howard Panter

Joanna Prior

Josie Rourke

Lady Susie Sainsbury

Barry Serjent

Tim & Catherine Score

Search Foundation

Richard Sharp

Susie Simkins

Edward Snape & Marilyn Eardley

Michael & Sarah Spencer

Stanhope PLC

Ross Turner

The Syder Foundation

van Tulleken Family

Johnny & Dione Verulam

Robert & Felicity Waley-Cohen

Elizabeth Wigoder

Philip Wooller

Danny Wyler

and three anonymous donors.

TRUSTS AND FOUNDATIONS

The Andrew Lloyd Webber

Foundation

The Boris Karloff Foundation

The Boshier-Hinton Foundation

The Bruce Wake Charitable Trust

The Chapman Charitable Trust The City Bridge Trust

Cockayne—Grants for the Arts

The John S Cohen Foundation

The Daisy Trust

The D’Oyly Carte Charitable

Trust

The Equity Charitable Trust

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

Fidelio Charitable Trust

Foyle Foundation

Garfield Weston Foundation

Garrick Club Charitable Trust

Golsoncott Foundation

TRUSTS AND FOUNDATIONS (continued)

Hammersmith United Charities

Heritage of London Trust

John Lyon’s Charity

The 29th May 1961 Charity

The Ashley Family Foundation

The Buffini Chao Foundation

The J Paul Getty Jnr Charitable Trust

The John Thaw Foundation

The Kirsten Scott Memorial Trust

The Leverhulme Trust

The London Community Foundation

Margaret Guido’s Charitable Trust

The Martin Bowley Charitable Trust

The Monument Trust

The Noel Coward Foundation

Paul Hamlyn Foundation

Peter Wolff Theatre Trust

Pilgrim Trust

PTF Charitable Settlement

The Royal Victoria Hall Foundation

Sir John Cass’s Foundation

Stavros Niarchos Foundation

The Teale Charitable Trust

The Theatres Trust

Thistle Trust

The Unity Theatre Trust

Viridor Credits

The Williams Charitable Trust

Western Riverside

Worshipful Company of

Mercers

Environmental Fund

The Wolfson Foundation

and one anonymous donor.

CORPORATE SPONSORS AND MEMBERS

The Agency (London) Ltd

Dorsett Shepherds Bush

Fever Tree

The Groucho Club

THE HOXTON

Philip Wooller

Westfield London

White Light Ltd

If you are interested in finding out how to be involved, please visit bushtheatre.co.uk/support-us or email [email protected] or call 020 8743 3584.

BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE

Artistic Director: Sean Foley

Executive Director: Rachael Thomas

Deputy Artistic Director: Amit Sharma

Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company is one of Britain’s leading producing theatre companies. Its mission is to inspire a lifelong love of theatre in the diverse communities of Birmingham and beyond. As well as presenting over 60 productions on its three stages every year, the theatre tours its productions nationally and internationally, showcasing theatre made in Birmingham.

The commissioning and production of new work lies at the core of The REP’s programme and over the last 15 years, the company has produced more than 130 new plays. The theatre’s outreach programme engages with over 7000 young people and adults through its learning and participation programme, equating to 30,000 individual educational sessions. The REP is also committed to nurturing new talent through its youth theatre groups and training for up and coming writers, directors and artists through its REP Foundry initiative.

Many of The REP’s productions go on to have lives beyond Birmingham. Recent tours and transfers include The Lovely Bones, Brief Encounter, Nativity! The Musical, What Shadows, LOVE, The Winslow Boy, The Government Inspector, Of Mice And Men, Anita And Me, Penguins and The King’s Speech. The theatre’s long-running production of The Snowman celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2018 and its 22nd consecutive season at London’s Peacock Theatre in 2019.

Box Office 0121 236 4455 birmingham-rep.co.uk

/birminghamrep @BirminghamRep @therepbirmingham

The High Table

Characters

Tara, twenties, bride to be.

Omotara (Yoruba) ‘Child is the worth of family’

Leah, twenties, Tara’s fiancée.

Leah (Hebrew) ‘Weary’

Teju, mid-forties/early fifties, Tara’s uncle.

Tejumade (Yoruba) ‘Fix your gaze on the crown’

Segun, mid-forties/early fifties, Tara’s father.

Segun (Yoruba) ‘Conqueror’

Mosun, mid-forties/early fifties, Tara’s mother.

Mosunmola (Yoruba) ‘I move close to wealth’

Yetunde, mid-forties/early fifties, The Ancestor of the North.

Yetunde (Yoruba) ‘Mother has returned again’

Babatunde, mid-forties/early fifties, The Ancestor of the West.

Babatunde (Yoruba) ‘Father has come again’

Adebisi, twenties, The Ancestor of the South.

Adebisi (Yoruba) ‘The crown has given birth to more’

Notes

(- ) Signifies an interruption.

(/ ) Signifies where a character interrupts another with overlapping speech.

(* ) Signifies a pause, either due to the use of music or an atmospheric shift.

Text in italics signifies that text should be sung.

The text uses a mixture of English and Pidgin English.

Teju and The Ancestors should speak with Nigerian accents.

The Mother and Father should speak in Nigerian accents, though slightly Anglicised.

All other characters speak with British accents. Though Tara may often adopt a Nigerian accent at will.

Multi-roling may be necessary. Suggested pairings are:

Segun and Babatunde, Mosun and Yetunde, Leah and Adebisi.

Settings

Tara, Leah & family

London, England. Present

Teju (& Segun)

Lagos, Nigeria. Present

The Ancestors

The North Star, On the edge of the Present

Scene One

Scene One

The North Star.

– Opening song –

Ẹ káàb si irawọ (ariwa)

Ẹ káàb si irawọ (ariwa)

Ẹ káàb si irawọ (ariwa)

Ẹ káàb si irawọ (ariwa)

Show them, show them

Show, Show them.

Show them. (Show them)

Show them, show them

Show, Show them.

Show them. (Show them)

Hmm! Without burnt offering. Hmm! Without blood sacrifice.

Hmm! Without burnt offering. We go show you, show you.

Hmm! Without burnt offering. Hmm! Without blood sacrifice.

Hmm! Without burnt offering. We go show you, show you

From the North to the South, from the East to the West.

For your front, for your behind. We go show you, show you.

From the North to the South, from the East to the West.

For your front, for your behind. We go show you, show you.

Ẹ káàb si irawọ (ariwa)

Ẹ káàb si irawọ (ariwa)

Ẹ káàb si irawọ (ariwa)

Ẹ káàb, káàb Kaabo.

***

Babatunde That didn’t sound right.

Adebisi Ah-ah! I thought I sang it well.

Yetunde We just didn’t have the fourth harmony. That’s all. It was good!

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