22 November - 15 December

DEATH AND THE KING'S HORSEMAN

British Premiere

by Wole Soyinka

Praise-Singer PETER BADEJO
Elesin Oba GEORGE HARRIS
Iyaloja CLAIRE BENEDICT
Market Women ROSEMARY DA COSTA, FOLAKE JONAH,
BOLÌA AIYEOLA, TOYIN FANI-KAYODE
The Bride EVELYN DUAH
Simon Pilkings SIMON DORMANDY
Jane Pilkings NICOLA REDMOND
Serjeant Amusa DHOBI OPAREI
Joseph DAVID WEBBER
HRH The Prince ROBIN DALGLISH
The Resident GEOFFREY BANKS
Aide-de-Camp STEPHEN BECKETT
Olunde JUDE AKUWUDIKE
Musicians MURAINA OYELAMI, CHARLES JAJA,
NGOZI OBI, MUSTAFA ONIGBANJO

Director PHYLLIDA LLOYD
Designer ANTHONY WARD
Choreographer & Nigerian Advisor PETER BADEJO
Musical Director & Composer MURAINA OYELAMI
Lighting RICK FISHER
Sound GARY YERSHON

...it is clearly a masterpiece...time has at last yielded a company, a director, and a performance space to do it justice...Phyllida Lloydis production is a noble African event, in which the text expands into the eloquent dignity, music, and physical vitality of a shared culture. It is thrilling to see a group of actors so released by their material.
Irving Wardle The Independent on Sunday

Sometimes the playhouse stage so seizes the mind that the reality and significance of our sensations are more immediate to us than the seats we are in. This British premiere of Soyinka's Death and the King's Horseman is one of those times...The process is utterly consuming. Peter Badejo...plays the Praise-Singer and choreographs the wonderful movement...George Harris as Elesin and Claire Benedict as Iyaloja lead a superb cast with confid gent, gestural acting on an epic scale. Ms Benedict is phenomenal...Altogether this is a tremendous company bringing us a transfixing work of modern world drama.
Jeffrey Wainwright The Independent

...a masterpiece of 20th century drama. The Royal Exchange Theatre Company deserves heartfelt thanks for allowing us to see it.
Albert Hunt The Guardian