We Need New Names, is an exuberant coming-of-age story from Fifth Word and New Perspectives theatre companies, adapted from the novel by NoViolet Bulawayo, the first Black African woman and Zimbabwean to be Booker Prize-shortlisted.
Paradise. Home of 10-year-old Darling and her friends. A playground overflowing with mischief and games where they imagine countries a luxurious life away from theirs in Mugabe’s Zimbabwe. But when Darling moves to Michigan, the western world she encounters as a teenager is far from the American utopia of her dreams…
This defiant coming-of-age story is adapted by Mufaro Makubika (SHEBEEN, Alfred Fagon award-winner) and directed by Monique Touko, Artist Associate with tiata fahodzi. Running from 30 May–3 Jun in Bristol Old Vic's Weston Studio as part of a major UK tour.
We Need New Names will be performed by a six-strong cast, marking a first-time collaboration between East Midlands’ companies Fifth Word and New Perspectives, following on from New Perspectives’ Stage Award and Black British Theatre award winning adaptation of Chigozie Obioma’s The Fishermen.
NoViolet Bulawayo was born Elizabeth Zandile Tshele in Zimbabwe. We Need New Names was her debut novel, and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2013, as was her second novel Glory in 2022, making her the first Black African woman to appear on the Booker list twice. In addition she has been long-listed for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2023 for Glory.
New Perspectives Artistic Director Angharad Jones said, “This adaptation combines New Perspectives’ history of successful commissioning adaptations including, most recently, The Fishermen, and Fifth Word’s specialism in developing new plays. Mufaro is a brilliantly talented playwright based in our home City of Nottingham, and it’s been a privilege to support him to tell this story to audiences on stages across the UK.”
Fifth Word Artistic Director Laura Ford continued, “Fifth Word are delighted to have commissioned Mufaro to develop the stage adaptation of this beautiful and powerful novel by NoViolet. During the development process we’ve had the privilege of working with Zimbabwean-born residents across the UK, all of whom can relate closely to this story from different generational viewpoints. It speaks to so many experiences, across the generations, of migration, trying to find your identity and trying to work out where you belong. I'm so excited to see this deeply moving play come to fruition and tour to theatres across the UK, reaching audiences from a wide range of backgrounds".
Mufaro Makubika is a playwright living and working in St Ann’s, Nottingham. Mufaro’s first play, Shebeen, opened at the Nottingham Playhouse in June 2018 and then transferred to the Theatre Royal Stratford East. Shebeen was the winner of the Alfred Fagon Award for best new play 2017. His most recent play, Malindadzimu, opened at the Hampstead Theatre in September 2021.
Monique Touko is a London based multidisciplinary artist working in theatre, radio and film. Her most recent directing work includes Fair Play by Ella Road at the Bush Theatre and The Clinic at the Almeida Theatre. She has been assistant director on shows including Wishlist (dir. Matthew Xia), On the Exhale (dir. Christopher Haydon) and Cock (dir. Kate Hewitt) and Richard II (dir. Lynette Linton and Adjoa Andoh). We Need New Names will be the second time she’s worked with Mufaro Makubika having won Best Director at The Stage Debut Awards in 2022 for Malindadzimu."
Mufaro Makubika said, 'When I first read the novel I couldn't put it down. I instantly recognised the world NoViolet Bulawayo creates and felt an urgency to adapt this impactful and beautiful story into a play. I'm excited to help share We Need New Names on stage for the first time and hope it resonates with audiences across the UK.”
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