Mandela musical announced in new Young Vic season

The Young Vic has announced its 2022 season plans – including the world premiere of Mandela.

The show, first revealed Stateside in 2019, is set to be directed by Schele Williams (also overseeing the new revival of Aida), with a book by actor and writer Laiona Michelle, and music by South African songwriters Greg Dean Borowsky and Shaun Borowsky with additional music and lyrics by Bongi Duma.

Plotting the life of the South African leader and iconic figure, the piece is choreographed by Gregory Maqoma with orchestration and musical supervision by Benjamin Kwasi Burrell and casting by Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher. It is developed in partnership with Nandi Mandela, Luvuyo Madasa and the Mandela family, with dates from 28 November to 4 February.

Mandela's granddaughter Nandi said this morning: "As my grandfather once said, music has the power to free us to dream, to unite people as one voice, and we hope that our musical will do just that.

"We are so proud to be bringing his story to the stage, with our brilliant creative team led by Greg and Shaun Borowsky, Laiona Michelle, Bongi Duma, Gregory Maqoma and Schele Williams in a way that honours and celebrates Madiba, for who he was – a grandfather, a father, a man who tried to do the best that he could during his journey on earth.

"We hope that my grandfather's story, of a man from humble beginnings who pulled himself up by his bootstraps, will resonate with audiences far and wide, and communicate his message of hope – that we are all capable of doing great things, as long as we are true and authentic to ourselves."

The show will also be broadcast, with socially distanced, relaxed, BSL-interpreted, audio-described and captioned performances to feature in the run.

Also in the season is Ivo van Hove's adaptation of Édouard Louis' Who Killed My Father (7 to 24 September), as well as Chasing Hares, co-produced with Theatre Uncut (16 July to 13 August).

Penned by Sonali Bhattacharyya and directed by Milli Bhatia, it explores follows a man, working in a factory, asked to write a play. The piece has designs by Moi Tran, lighting design by Jai Morjaria, sound design by Donato Wharton, composition by Sarathy Korwar, movement direction by Chi San Howard, video design by Akhila Krishnan and lyric consultancy by Jammz.

In the Clare Studio will be The Five Lesbian Brothers' The Secretaries, while YV Unpacked will also stage I Wonder If …, directed by Daniel Bailey (Red Pitch).

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