This performance is in English and Zulu.

Bhekizizwe is an operatic monodrama that explores identity, race, immigration, parenthood and culture through the eyes and experiences of a young South African Zulu man. The production traces the life of Bhekizizwe Shange, from his childhood in South Africa during the last years of apartheid, to unexpected fatherhood in the UK in the early 2000s. Bhekizizwe draws on a range of musical and theatrical references – including traditional and contemporary South African music, British popular culture, and present-day classical music – and features a bilingual libretto in English and Zulu.

Directed by Benjamin Davis and designed by Brad Caleb Lee, Bhekizizwe sees baritone Themba Mvula assuming multiple character roles as the story develops, moving backwards and forwards in time.