SS Mendi: Dancing the Death Drill Tickets

About SS Mendi: Dancing the Death Drill

In early 1917, the SS Mendi set sail from Cape Town, taking hundreds of black South African volunteers to support the Allied forces fighting in France. Early in the morning of 21 February 1917, the Mendi collided with a cargo ship amid thick fog in the English Channel south of the Isle of Wight and sank, killing 616 South Africans and 30 of the ship's crew. Award-winning South African lyric theatre company Isango Ensemble make their first appearance in the Linbury Theatre. Isango has won worldwide acclaim for vibrant productions that reimagine the classics in inventive new contexts – previous productions include U-Carmen eKhayelitsha, The Magic Flute – Impempe Yomlingo and A Christmas Carol – Ikrismas Kherol. SS Mendi: Dancing the Death Drill, based on the book by Fred Khumalo, is a powerful and moving requiem inspired by a real-life tragic maritime disaster. A group of individuals from conflicting cultures becomes united in a final dance as the ship goes down. This is the first London showing of the production after a hugely successful UK premiere at Nuffield Southampton Theatres. The premiere was one of the 14–18 NOW WW1 Centenary Art Commissions. This remarkable ensemble transforms hard experience into affirmations of life.