The Matthew ship will host world premiere of ‘The Hamlet Voyage’

The Hamlet Voyage is a new play by Rex Obano, recently long-listed for the prestigious Alfred Fagon award (which champions the work of Black British playwrights).

Well over a year in the making, it will be performed for the first time at Bristol Harbour Festival’s 50th anniversary on July 16-17, on board the famous replica sailing ship The Matthew (currently docked at Princes Wharf, and set to be at Underfall Yard over the festival weekend), before going on to its London premiere at the Bridewell Theatre.

The play tells the story of the first English merchant voyage to India in 1607, which made a stop off in Sierra Leone in order to restock the ship, and treat sailors afflicted by scurvy.

While they were there, there were records made in the ship logs detailing a performance of Hamlet given by the sailors for the local West African dignitaries.

Perhaps intended as an act of diplomacy on foreign shores, records suggest that rehearsing and performing a play may also have been a tactic employed to entertain the crew on long and perilous voyages where their survival was by no means assured.

The Hamlet Voyage – photo: Re:Verse Theatre

From article by ‘Ambrose Gunthio’ (1825); transcriptions of what is widely deemed to be Captain William Keeling’s journal of the voyage:

For Obano, the questions surrounding this cross-cultural encounter offer up a unique vantage point on a time in history pre-dating the escalation of the Transatlantic slave trade, the age of British imperialism, and Shakespeare’s elevation to canonical literary status (Hamlet was only written around seven years prior).

To be writing the first recorded performance of Shakespeare outside Europe is a very exciting prospect indeed,” says Obano. “I have always been interested in writing Black British historical drama, especially those stories that are little known, buried deep in the annals of history and confined to memory. Such stories as this explore Britain’s past but also tell us about Britain’s future.”

RADA staged reading featuring Ellen Thomas – photo: Dan Fearon

Staged by Re:Verse Theatre, the project originated with a crowdfunder campaign that quickly gained traction, winning the support of organisations including The University of Bristol, The Fenton Arts Trust and Arts Council England, as well as numerous community donors.

This backing enabled Re:Verse to produce two workshops and a staged reading at RADA, in order to further develop the script and style of the play.

The team brings together an abundance of talent from around the world – Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, Cape Verde, India, UK and the USA.

New-Delhi-based puppetry director and designer Anurupa Roy is an internationally renowned puppet theatre maker; music director and acclaimed bhangra musician Jeevan Singh has worked under Emma Rice’s direction at Shakespeare’s Globe; movement director David Dravie-John is also the founder of West African performance company Pax Productions, and designer Olivia Altaras has produced work for Punchdrunk and Wise Children).

RADA staged reading featuring Lysa Dicks and Stefan Adegbola – photo: Dan Fearon

Bringing Obano’s text to life, director Ben Prusiner is joined by assistant director Neuza Pereira Sa, with expert insight from Shakespeare & maritime history dramaturge Laurence Publicover, and Joseph Bangura, dramaturge of Sierra Leonean history and culture.

Reflecting on the unique setting for the story, Prusiner explains: “We see these three cultures (English, Temne and Mughal) encountering each other for the first time.

“We are still critical of English colonial ambitions, but the play also presents an opportunity to showcase storytelling, music and theatre from West Africa, South Asia and Western Europe.”

R&D featuring ensemble and David Dravie-John – photo: Re:Verse Theatre

Alongside the play itself, the project is further bolstered by education and community work within Bristol to further explore the ideas and questions raised in The Hamlet Voyage. Four local secondary schools – Bristol Brunel Academy, City Academy Bristol (Redfield), Trinity Academy (Lockleaze) and St Mary Redcliffe, will each be receiving four 60-90 minute sessions from members of the Re:Verse team.

The play itself is free and unticketed (though seats aboard The Matthew will be first come, first serve), and it is hoped that it will attract interest from communities city-wide.

The world premiere of The Hamlet Voyage will coincide with the 415th anniversary of the original Hamlet performance in Sierra Leone. The crowdfunder to support the production remains open until June 18.

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The Hamlet Voyage (suitable for all ages) will be performed on The Matthew ship (which will be docked at Underfall Yard), as part of the 50th Bristol Harbour Festival on July 16-17, at 1pm on both days. It is a free and unticketed event, with limited first come first seats available on board the Matthew, and more on the shore at Underfall Yard. Note the show is entirely outdoors, and may be delayed, modified or cancelled in inclement weather.

Underfall Yard will also host a West African drumming workshop at 3.30pm, and musical performances at 6 and 9pm on both days of the Harbour Festival weekend. For more information, visit www.bristolharbourfestival.co.uk/area-underfall-yard.

Main photo: Nick Greville

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