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Kunene and the King Tickets

Kunene and the King Tickets

London
24 Jan 2020 - 28 Mar 2020

Kunene and the King Information

Following its premiere in Stratford-upon-Avon and a sold-out run in Cape Town, don't miss John Kani's highly acclaimed play Kunene and the King marking the 25th anniversary of the end of apartheid with a strictly limited London run.

South Africa, 2019. Twenty-five years since the first post-apartheid democratic elections, two men from contrasting walks of life are thrust together to reflect on a quarter century of change. Jack Morris is a celebrated classical actor who's just been given both a career-defining role and a life-changing diagnosis. Besides his age, Jack has seemingly little in common with his at-home nurse Lunga Kunene, but the two men soon discover their shared passion for Shakespeare, which ignites this 'rich, raw and shattering head-to-head' (The Times). 

Written by South African actor, activist and playwright John Kani (Black Panther, The Island, Sizwe Banzi is Dead), this refreshingly funny and vital new play is directed by Janice Honeyman (Vice Versa; The Tempest, 2009) and sees fellow South African Antony Sher (King Lear, 2016 & 2018; Death of a Salesman) perform alongside John Kani in two exceptionally moving performances, with live music and vocals by Lungiswa Plaatjies completing the company. 

Book now for this 'fascinating and necessary' (Financial Times) play, co-produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company and Cape Town's Fugard Theatre, as it transfers to the Ambassadors Theatre for nine weeks only from 24th January 2020. 

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Run time

1hr 35mins (no interval)

Opening date

January 24th, 2020

Closing date

March 28th, 2020

Categories

Closing, Opening, Play, Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Shakespeare, Weekday Matinees, Spring Seat Spectacular

Venue

Ambassadors Theatre

Cast and creative

By: John Kani
Songs by: Neo Muyanga
Director: Janice Honeyman
Cast list: Antony Sher, John Kani
Design: Birrie La Roux
Lighting: Mannie Manim
Sound: Jonathan Ruddick
Other info: Musician/Singer: Anna Mudeka

Our review

Kunene and the King

Two giants of South African theatre, one who stayed and one who left but both of whom have garnered international reputations, join forces for this warm and moving play that's partly about the theatre that both have sprung from and partly about the legacy of apartheid that formed them, too. John Kani, now 77, is the one who stayed, though he has travelled frequently, to both London and Broadway, including appearances as an actor and co-author with Athol Fugard and the late Winston Ntshona of the...

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