From leading theatre company Khaos and based on a true story, this groundbreaking production explores a refreshing take on what contemporary western audiences perceive as the African diplomatic class.

Thrown into a cell and accused of conspiring to overthrow the government, Colin fights back with wit and great British banter. Faced with infamous master interrogator Pacifique Muamba, the young diplomat is about to be painfully re-educated and taken to the brink of madness.

Going against a stereotypical narrative, the antagonist Pacifique becomes the protagonist, subverting traditional theatrical conventions. The character is an amalgamation of Paul Kagame, Andre Leon Talley, and Karl Lagerfeld, and represents the secretive individuals behind every dictatorship society. The Ballerina is Shakespearean in its proportions, redefining African imagery and leading Khaos’ charge as a new voice in the art world.

James Barnes, director, and co-founder of Khaos said: “Experimenting with Artaud’s theatre of cruelty, we explore themes of violence that are unapologetic, inviting the audience to question their deeper beliefs in the society we inhabit. We’re living in a time where despite having access to a world of information, we’re still very unaware of the reality of global politics. And this ignorance in the form of a vote, contributes to the very cycles of violence (seen and unseen) that we wish to stop.

“Through the character of Pacifique, a cultured tactician that aims to win where all others have failed. The Ballerina celebrates the individuality of Blackness… redefining Africanism imagery for a new generation.”

Directed by James Barnes (Barbie Comes to Tea, Talawa; Wolf and Dog, Young Vic) and written by Anne Sophie-Marie, The Ballerina creates agency for a more diverse and introspective range of storytelling that audiences can be a part of.

The performance runs from Tuesday 31st January – Sunday 5th February 2023.

Show times: 2:30pm, 6:10pm and 6.40pm.

Book your tickets here 

Photographed by: Diana Patient