Kiln Theatre, Fuel and Birmingham Repertory Theatre present
The Half God of Rainfall
by Inua Ellams
For thousands of years, Gods enjoyed full dominion over the lives of men. As prayers dwindled, Gods felt their power cut
Modupe, cursed with extraordinary beauty, draws the unwanted attention of the Greek and Yoruba gods. Her son Demi, half Nigerian-mortal, half Olympian child, is bestowed with powers; one of them manifests in the game of basketball. When he unknowingly sparks Zeus’ wrath, Modupe tries to protect him from the capricious whims of the gods.
Inua Ellams (Barber Shop Chronicles, National Theatre; An Evening With An Immigrant) writes this contemporary saga that weaves poetry with storytelling in a majestic, chaotic journey across mythologies that transports us from a tiny village in Southern Nigeria to the further reaches of our galaxy and beyond.
Important Information
Age Guidance: 14+
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April
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Wednesday 1st May7:30PMBook Now
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Thursday 2nd May7:30PMBook Now
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Saturday 4th May2:30PMmatineeBook Now
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Monday 6th May7:30PMSold Out
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Thursday 16th May7:30PMaudio describedBook Now
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Friday 17th May7:30PMBook Now
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Fuel acknowledges the support of Cockayne Grants for the Arts and London Community Fund for the contribution towards Inua Ellam’s commission.
Cast

Rakie Ayola
Modupe
Rakie Ayola plays Modupe. Her theatre credits include Leave To Remain (Lyric Hammersmith), Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (The Palace Theatre), The Rest of Your Life (Bush Theatre), King Lear (Royal Exchange/Talawa), Crave/4:48 Psychosis (Sheffield Crucible), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (National Theatre/The Apollo) and The Winter’s Tale (RSC). For television her credits include Noughts and Crosses, Shetland, No Offence and King Lear; and for film, Been So Long, Dredd, Now Is Good and Sahara.

Kwami Odoom
Demi
Kwami Odoom plays Demi. His theatre credits include BOYS (The PappyShow/Vaults), A Christmas Carol (RSC), Queen Margaret (Royal Exchange), Barber Shop Chronicles (National Theatre), DNA, Pigeon English and Romeo and Juliet (National Youth Theatre). For television his credits include The Athena, The Rook and Doctors; and for film, A Family Affair.
Creatives
Inua Ellams
Writer
Born in Nigeria, Inua Ellams is a poet, playwright & performer, graphic artist & designer. He is a Complete Works poet alumni and a graphic designer at White Space Creative Agency. He facilitates workshops in creative writing where he explores reoccurring themes in his work – Identity, Displacement and Destiny – in accessible, enjoyable ways for participants of all ages and backgrounds.
His creative work has been recognised with a number of awards: The Live Canon International Poetry Prize, The Arts Council of England Award, a Wellcome Trust Award, twice shortlisted for the Brunel Prize for African Poetry, and longlisted for the Alfred Fagan Award, Edinburgh Fringe First Award 2009 and the Liberty Human Rights Award.
He has been commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, National Theatre, Tate Modern, Louis Vuitton, Chris Ofili, BBC Radio & Television. His first three pamphlets of poetry Thirteen Fairy Negro Tales and Candy Coated Unicorn and Converse were published Flipped Eye, and The Wire-Headed Heathen by Akashic Books. Several plays including the critically acclaimed Black T-Shirt Collection and award-winning The 14th Tale are published by Oberon. In 2005, he founded the Midnight Run— an arts-filled, night-time, playful, walking, urban movement that attempts to reconnect inner city lives with inner city spaces.
His play Barber Shop Chronicles has had two sold-out seasons at the National Theatre, and recently toured Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Canada. In 2019 it will commence a UK tour and a season at The Roundhouse in London.
Nancy Medina
Director
Nancy Medina is originally from Brooklyn NY, and currently based in Bristol. She is the 2018 RTST Sir Peter Hall Directors Award winner and will be collaborating with Royal & Derngate and English Touring Theatre on a production of Two Trains Running in 2019. In 2017 she won the Genesis Future Director Award at the Young Vic. She is an acting tutor at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and Course Leader for a post 16 Professional Acting Diploma at Boomsatsuma.
Upcoming projects: Strange Fruit (Bush Theatre) and Two Trains Running (Royal & Derngate /ETT / RTST).
Directing credits include: Collective Rage: A Play In Five Betties (Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama); When They Go Low (NT Connections/Sherman Theatre); Yellowman (Young Vic); Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It (GB Theatre); Curried Goat and Fish Fingers (Bristol Old Vic); Dogtag (Theatre West); Strawberry & Chocolate, Dutchman (Tobacco Factory Theatres) and Persistence of Memory (Rondo Theatre).
Max Johns
Designer
Imogen Knight
Movement Director
Jackie Shemesh
Lighting Designer
Tanuja Amarsuriya
Sound Designer
Briony Barnett CDG
Casting Director
Dates and Tickets
TICKETS
25 April – 29 April & Wednesday matinees
£10, £15, £21, £27.50
30 April – 17 May (excluding Wednesday matinees)
£12.50, £20, £26, £32.50
Evenings: 7.30pm
Wednesday & Saturday matinees (from 4 May): 2.30pm
CONCESSIONS
Student, Equity, Unemployed & Brent Residents
£2 off Band A and B on Mon – Thu Performances
Seniors
£2 off Band A and B on Mon – Wed Matinee Performances
Access Concessions
£2 off all price bands on Mon – Thu Performances
Young Kiln (under 26)
£10 tickets across the run, any seat. To book your tickets sign up as Young Kiln or log in to your account
ACCESS
Captioned: 9 May 2019
Audio Described: 16 May 2019
POST-SHOW DISCUSSION
Taking place on 7 May 2019
Check back soon for more details about the subject of the discussion