Black Spartacus

Black Spartacus tells the epic tale of the Haitian Slave Uprising of 1791. It focuses on the rebel leader Toussaint L’ Ouverture and how he built the World’s first free black republic outside Africa.

Thee Black Swan Theatre and Opera Company are proud to present a brand new production coming to the Courtyard Theatre in London this August. The play “Black Spartacus” tells the moving yet little known story of the Haitian Slave Uprising of 1791. It focuses on the meteoric rise of the rebellion’s leader Toussaint L’ Ouverture and his heroic struggle to establish the World’s first free black republic outside Africa. It explores questions about the nature of “liberty” and the role of belief in armed struggles. How did an army of brutalised ex-slaves break free of their chains to create a New World?

Toussaint L’Ouverture is one of the most important figures in world history. He was the subject of numerous books and poems from his death in 1803 until the end of the 19th century. For the Romantics, Toussaint signified the dawning of a new era in the Americas and was an emblem of hope in the slavery abolition movement.

He was not only a gifted military strategist but a skilled diplomat. He would go on to lead the only successful slave revolt in modern history defeating the three mighty empires of Britain, France and Spain and liberating African slaves in Haiti half a century before the American civil war freed slaves in the United States.

Writer Anthony Maddalena and Director Joseph Charles have combined to create a unique retelling of Toussaint's story that fuses theatre, music and dance into a scintillating show.

The play will also explore how the story of the Haitian revolution is relevant to our modern lives and supported by Anti-Slavery International, the UK’s leading charity dedicated to ending the blight of modern day slavery.

Classical yet contemporary, intimate yet epic; Black Spartacus shines a light on a pivotal moment in human history. An emotional roller coaster it will take audience through the joys and the sorrows of its complex characters leaving them exhilarated, entertained and enlightened. An event not to be missed.