National Theatre's 2016 production of Lorraine Hansberry's Les Blancs, starring Danny Sapani, Gary Beadle, and Tunji Kasim, streams July 2 as National Theatre at Home’s series of rebroadcasts continues. Directed by Yaël Farber, the play confronts the hope and tragedy of revolution when a family and a post-colonial African nation fall apart under the pressure to determine their own identity.
The stream is available July 2 at 2 PM ET above or on National Theatre’s YouTube. It will remain free to watch on demand through 2 PM ET July 29. Donations to support the U.K. theatre community are encouraged.
Les Blancs is adapted by Robert Nemiroff and the restored text directed by Joi Gresham. Rounding out the cast are Sheila Atim, Sidney Cole, Elliot Cowan, James Fleet, Clive Francis, Anna Madeley, Roger Jean Nsengiyumva, Siân Phillips, and Xhanti Mbonzongwana. The ensemble features Anna-Maria Nabirye, Daniel Francis-Swaby, and Mark Theodore with the Matriarchs & Singers (Ngqoko Cultural Group) played by Nofenishala Mvotyo, Nogcinile Yekani Nomaqobiso, and Mpahleni (Madosini) Latoz.
Serving on the creative team are set and costume designer Soutra Gilmour, lighting designer Tim Lutkin, movement director Imogen Knight, fight director Kev McCurdy, music director Joyce Moholoagae, and dramaturg Drew Lichtenberg with music and sound by Adam Cork.
In addition to the full-length presentation, National Theatre hosted a panel discussion on Les Blancs, in the context of the African, European and American narrative, and the role of trauma in the play, led by Ola Animashawun, from the National Theatre's New Work and Learning departments, with director Dawn Walton and producer Tobi Kyeremateng. Click here to watch.
The National Theatre production of A Midsummer's Night Dream continues streaming through July 2 at 2 PM ET on National Theatre at Home. Upcoming streams include Terence Rattigan’s The Deep Blue Sea and Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus.
