Sankofa

Acquah&co presents Sankofa
Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Playwriting

Weaving together live music, storytelling, and traditional pottery, Sankofa is a semi-autobiographical show about legacy, heritage, and what it means to belong as part of the African diaspora.

san - to return
Nicole’s grand-uncle, Asiedu, was a playwright, one who shaped the landscape of Ghanaian theatre. Nicole doesn’t know this. She also writes plays, thousands of miles away in London.

ko - to go
Discovering her grand-uncle’s work sets Nicole on a journey to learn more about her lineage. Touring her own work around Europe, she is faced with the significance of her heritage, her blackness, her art. Is there something connecting her and Asiedu - something stronger than culture, than bloodline even?

fa - to fetch
Before she returns to England, Nicole will have to learn what it truly means to go back into the past in order to move forward into the future.

Acquah&co is a theatre company led by Nicole Acquah, making multi-disciplinary work that showcases and celebrates diverse voices.
Twitter: @sankofaplay @acquahco

Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Cast & Creatives
Writer and performer: Nicole Acquah
Musicians: Doyin Ade and Vanessa Garber
Director: Carol Leeming MBE
Producer: Tia Alice Ray
Choreographer: Kwame Asafo-Adjei
Vocal Coach: Eleanor Manners
Photography by Michael Brosnan

With special thanks to: Arts Council England, Jane Butterfield & Susanna Paisio, Michael Brosnan, Nick Wood & the MA Advanced Theatre Practice cohort, Central School of Speech and Drama, Tower Theatre, Arcola Theatre, Ella Wright, Marie McCarthy and Omnibus Theatre

Running Time: 80mins

Please be aware that this show includes content warnings for racism, sexual assault, panic attacks and references to murder. Recommended for 16+

Concession prices apply to students; under 18s; pensioners; those on disability and unemployment benefits; Equity, BECTU & SDUK members; Portico Places cardholders.

Any donations will help us to survive beyond the current times. Donations will also help support independent arts and theatremakers - an essential step in preserving the future of fringe theatre.