Home, Manchester, presents the world premiere production of The Fishermen by Nottingham-based theatre company New Perspectives. The production will run for 9 shows in Manchester before travelling to the Edinburgh Festival, followed by a UK tour.
What is The Fishermen about?
Adapted by Edinburgh Festival Fringe First-winning playwright Gbolahan Obisesan, The Fishermen is a tense and powerful story of brotherhood, vengeance and fate. The play is adapted from Nigerian author Chigozie Obioma’s 2015 Man Booker Prize-shortlisted novel. It is directed by British-New Zealand director Jack McNamara.
In a small Nigerian town, a pair of brothers, Ben and Obembe, slip away to fish at a forbidden river along with their two older brothers. Risking the wrath of their father, who expects great things of them all, they continue unnoticed and carefree until one day the prophecy of a madman changes the course of their lives.
The Fishermen stars Michael Ajao as Ben and Valentine Olukoga as Obembe.
Michael Ajao recently appeared in Br’er Cotton at Theatre503. He previously appeared in The Lorax at The Old Vic, and made his big-screen debut in Attack the Block directed by Joe Cornish, and took the role of Corey Draper in Tiger Aspect’s Cuffs for BBC.
Valentine Olukoga will be familiar to TV viewers from playing Brandon in ITV’s Unforgotten in 2015. He also appeared in Matthew Dunster’s production of Liberian Girl at the Royal Court Theatre the same year.
Chigozie Obioma is regarded as one of Africa’s major new literary voices, with The Fishermen being named as a best book of the year in 2015 by The Observer, the Economist, the Financial Times, and the Wall Street Journal.
When does The Fisherman run at Home Manchester?
The Fishermen is performed at Home Manchester from Thursday 19 July until Saturday 28 July 2018. Tickets are priced £12.50 (concessions £10.50).
