Kiln Theatre, Fuel and Birmingham Repertory Theatre present
The Half God of Rainfall
by Inua Ellams
We risk war. This is the consequence. Battle. Shield. Spear and sword. Conflict amongst the Gods. This must be avoided.
When Demi, the half Nigerian-mortal, half Greek-God, is angry, rain clouds gather. When he cries, rivers burst their banks.
The first time Demi takes a shot on the local basketball court, the deities of the land awaken. As he unknowingly sparks Zeus’ wrath, his mother Modupe takes matters into her mortal hands and the consequences change their lives forever.
From award-winning poet and playwright Inua Ellams (Barber Shop Chronicles; An Evening With An Immigrant) comes a new myth. The Half God of Rainfall is a contemporary epic that weaves poetry and storytelling in a majestic journey that transports us from a tiny village in South West Nigeria to Mount Olympus, to the further reaches of our galaxy and beyond.
Duration
80 mins (with no interval)
The power of the production lies not in theatrical ostentation, but in its fierce, unadorned precision.
It works on the senses as much as the intellect, and leaves you in stunned wonderment.
Beautifully directed by Nancy Medina… with superb actors Rakie Ayola and Kwami Odoom
This is vital theatre: funny, moving, unflinching.
Richly lyrical tone and warm humour
Powerful performances… Incredible skill… Exquisite writing
It’s a story for these ‘woke’ times – the #MeToo campaign a continual backdrop.
Beguiling and audacious… dazzlingly brought to life by actors Rakie Ayola and Kwami Odoom in Nancy Medina’s fleet-footed production
A skilfully crafted, magical folktale; one that will certainly stand the test of time
A powerful piece of theatre which takes you to realms that you would never expect
Sublime tribute to the African art of storytelling
An inspiring evening
An exciting watch from start to finish




Praise For The Half God Of Rainfall

‘A world-beating exploration of mythology, power and sport, all stitched together by the unique and wonderful pen of Inua Ellams, a master craftsman in storytelling’
‘If you love the swish of draining rain, you’ll love The Half God of Rainfall. Ellams creates a fresh flood of three-pointers and a Herculean dunk. The gravity of his message is as deep as a sunk shot from half-court’
‘Inua Ellams possesses an intuitive and fluid grasp of the eternal virtues and heroic narratives that constitute our transglobal imaginations’
‘Part Homeric-style epic, part female-focused revenge tragedy. Each line feels as though it’s carved into stone―solid, striking, glinting with beauty, but steeped in hard-edged truth. A true story for the ages, as well as for the politics of the present day’
‘Inua writes in brimstone and beautiful’
Creatives
Max Johns
Designer
Imogen Knight
Movement Director
Jackie Shemesh
Lighting Designer
Tanuja Amarasuriya
Sound Designer
Briony Barnett CDG
Casting Director
Fuel acknowledges the support of Cockayne Grants for the Arts and London Community Fund for the contribution towards Inua Ellams’ commission.
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
Brent & Residents
£2 off Band A and B on all 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
Pre-show touch-tour before the Audio Described performance on 16 May at 6pm
POST-SHOW EVENTS
3 May – Young Kiln Open Mic Night
Join us after the show for ‘WorkinOnIt’ a open-mic event hosted by Mr Gee (Radio 4) including a performance from Deanna Rodger and music by Deuxes.
7 May – Inua Ellams Post Show Talk and Book Signing
Kiln Theatre artistic director Indhu Rubasingham hosts a post-show Q&A with Inua Ellams