No longer booking
  • Venue Kiln Theatre, London
  • Performance dates Booking to 21 October 2023
  • Running time 90 minutes (no interval)
  • Age guidelines 14+

★★★★ “A brutal, beautiful experience” – Evening Standard

The Kiln Theatre presents the UK premiere of award-winning playwright Lynn Nottage’s drama Mlima’s Tale.

From two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage (The Secret Life of Bees, Sweat), Mlima’s Tale makes its UK premiere at Kiln Theatre.

They call him Mlima, the mountain. Killed for his magnificent tusks, killed for greed, killed for ivory, his spirit journeys through the ivory trade market, marking those complicit in his barbaric death.  

Directed by Miranda Cromwell (Death of a Salesman), this powerful and unforgettable story of the ivory trade and its corruption leaves its mark long after the lights go down. 

The cast includes Ira Mandela Siobhan (Robin Hood: The Legend. Re-Written, My Brilliant Friend) as Mlima, with Gabrielle Brooks (Once on This Island, Get Up Stand Up), Pui Fan Lee (Teletubbies/CBeebies) as Gouxi, Brandon Grace (Much Ado About Nothing) as Andrew, and Natey Jones (Death of a Salesman) as Geedi.

Mlima’s Tale runs from 14 September until 21 October 2023 at Kiln Theatre London.

Mlima is an elephant, struck down by poachers for his magnificent tusks. And so begins a journey, following the trajectory of those tusks from Mlima’s homeground in a Kenyan game park, through the ivory trade market and beyond. And all the while, Mlima’s ghost follows close behind, marking those complicit in his barbaric death.

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Performance Information

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Stars and Creatives

Who is in the cast of Mlima’s Tale?

Gabrielle Brooks as Githinji, Pui Fan Lee as Gouxi, Brandon Grace as Andrew, Natey Jones as Geedi and Ira Mandela Siobhan as Mlima.

Mlima's Tale - Cast

Who are the creative team of Mlima’s Tale?

Written by Lynn Nottage.

Directed by Miranda Cromwell with design by Amelia Jane Hankin, lighting design by Amy Mae; music by Femi Temowo; Casting Director Lotte Hines CDG; Voice & Dialect Coaching by Hazel Holder; Kiln Mackintosh Resident Assistant Director Jessica Mensah.

Important Notes

Content warning:

This production includes strong language, depictions of murder and the following themes: corruption, greed, ivory trade, poaching, capitalist exploitation.

Assisted Performances:

Captioned: Mon 2 October, 7.30pm; Touch Tour: Thu 12 October, 6.00pm; Audio Described: Thu 12 October 7.30pm; Relaxed: Wed 18 October, 2.30pm

Venue Information

Kiln Theatre , 269 Kilburn High Road, London, NW6 7JR

Nearest Tube or Train: Kilburn (Jubilee line) / Brondesbury rail station

Nearest Buses: 16, 32, 189, 332, 632

Directions

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Critics' reviews of Mlima’s Tale

★★★★ "A brutal, beautiful experience" - Evening Standard

★★★★ "The beauty and poignancy of Ira Mandela Siobhan’s performance" - Financial Times

★★★★ "A haunting indictment of the ivory trade" - The Times

★★★★ "Lynn Nottage’s simple, effective, and quietly devastating play" - The Stage

★★★★ "A brutal, devastating drama" - The Telegraph

Also see: Mlima’s Tale Reviews Round-up

Frequently Asked Questions

Mlima’s Tale is playing at the Kiln Theatre in London
The running time of Mlima’s Tale is 90 minutes (no interval)
The age recommendations for Mlima’s Tale are: 14+
Yes, Mlima’s Tale has matinee performances on the following days: Wednesday, Saturday
No, sorry, Mlima’s Tale has now completed its run and is no longer on sale.

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