In this joyful tale of two Ghanaian creatives, set against the backdrop of 1960’s
BBC Broadcasting House, DRUM pays homage to the friendship of two unsung
heroes in Ghanaian diaspora and British African history; photographer James Barnor and one of the BBC’s first Black broadcasters Mike Eghan.
Written by Ghanaian-British writer and producer Jacob Roberts-Mensah, the
Untapped 2024 winning show borrows its name from the legendary South African
magazine DRUM and is inspired by the first real life meeting of these two rising
Ghanaian creatives and offers audiences a joyful and poignant fusion of storytelling, music and traditional Ghanaian dance.
Stanley Arts Artistic Director and CEO says: “We can’t wait to bring DRUM to our local audiences and community in South Norwood. The show captures this snapshot of history in the swinging sixties as the two men dual over their perception of identity, success, assimilation and home. We think audiences will connect with the growing friendship between the two characters, who, despite having differing ideology, find connection through food and music and their cultural roots.”
“Local theatre audiences who enjoy a good night out, and seeing a show that leaves them with something to think about politically and culturally will really enjoy the themes of identity and what creates a sense of belonging, plus they’ll leave with a real feel-good factor after the toe-tapping music and high-energy dance.”
Omnibus Theatre says: “We’re delighted that Drum will continue its journey, having
supported its development through Engine Room, our Artist Development
Programme, before presenting it in a three-week run at Omnibus in 2022. We’re
excited to be collaborating with House and to be renewing our partnership with
Jacob”.
Tickets are £15 and can be booked online at stanleyarts.org or by calling our Box Office on 020 8251 0184.
