The world-premiere production of Inua Ellams’ award-winning historical drama will come to Oxford this autumn, with Adeola Yemitan, Antonia Layiwola, Bayo Gbadamosi and Will Atiomo leading the cast.
At a glance
| Production | Once Upon a Time in Sokoto |
| Writer | Inua Ellams |
| Director | Roy Alexander Weise |
| Oxford dates | Tuesday 13 to Saturday 17 October 2026 |
| Venue | Oxford Playhouse, Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2LW |
| Cast | Adeola Yemitan, Antonia Layiwola, Bayo Gbadamosi and Will Atiomo |
| Age guidance | 14+ |
| Running time | To be confirmed; the production will include an interval |
| Access performances | BSL on Thursday 15 October; audio description and touch tour on Saturday 17 October |
| Booking | Book through Oxford Playhouse or call 01865 305305 |
The cast and creative team have been announced for Once Upon a Time in Sokoto, a new play by internationally celebrated poet, playwright and artist Inua Ellams.
The production will open with its world premiere at Royal & Derngate in Northampton before arriving at Oxford Playhouse for six performances from Tuesday 13 to Saturday 17 October.
Adeola Yemitan will play Nafisa Sarauniya, with Antonia Layiwola as Zinari Zangina, Bayo Gbadamosi as Hadiru Zhango and Will Atiomo as Yusef Dawdu.
Directed by Roy Alexander Weise, the play is set in pre-colonial northern Nigeria during the mid-to-late 1800s and explores friendship, power, faith, heritage and the political upheavals surrounding its characters.
What is Once Upon a Time in Sokoto about?
At the centre of the story is an unlikely relationship between an enslaved woman and her former mistress.
The two women come from different social, cultural and religious worlds, but are drawn together as personal and political events begin to threaten everything around them.
The drama is set against the backdrop of the Sokoto Caliphate, an Islamic civilisation in the region that is now northern Nigeria.
Ellams said: “At its core, Once Upon a Time in Sokoto is the story of an extremely unlikely friendship between an enslaved woman and her former mistress.”
He said the play explores how the legacy of the period continues to influence global perceptions and politics today.
Although described as a family drama, Oxford Playhouse has given the production age guidance of 14 and over.
Who is in the cast?
| Performer | Role | Selected previous work |
|---|---|---|
| Adeola Yemitan | Nafisa Sarauniya | Elektra, Much Ado About Nothing and Is Dat U Yh? |
| Antonia Layiwola | Zinari Zangina | Is Dat U Yh? and Silkworm |
| Bayo Gbadamosi | Hadiru Zhango | The Great and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof |
| Will Atiomo | Yusef Dawdu | Blitz and The Sandman |
Yemitan’s stage credits include the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Much Ado About Nothing, Antigone at Mercury Theatre and productions with the National Youth Theatre.
Gbadamosi is known for screen and stage work including the television series The Great, while Atiomo’s credits include the film Blitz and Netflix series The Sandman.
Roy Alexander Weise leads the creative team
The production is directed by Roy Alexander Weise, whose previous work includes Nine Night and ROBOTA.
His involvement creates a recent Oxford connection. Weise worked on ROBOTA at the University of Oxford’s Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities in a production co-produced by Headlong, an associate partner of Oxford Playhouse.
He described Once Upon a Time in Sokoto as “big and theatrical, witty and funny, brutal, bold, beautiful”.
Weise said he was drawn to the play’s treatment of time and history, as well as its focus on two fictional women whose experiences remain recognisable to a modern audience.
Creative team
| Writer | Inua Ellams |
| Director | Roy Alexander Weise |
| Set designer | Amelia Jane Hankin |
| Composer | Femi Temowo |
| Movement director | Coral Messam |
| Costume designer | Jessica Cabassa |
| Casting director | Heather Basten CDG |
| Associate director | Brigitte Adela |
| Production manager | Helen Mugridge |
An award-winning play before its first production
Once Upon a Time in Sokoto won the 2024 Alfred Fagon Award before reaching the stage.
The award recognised Ellams’ script, which was commissioned and developed by theatre company Fuel.
Ellams was born in Nigeria and is known for combining poetry, theatre, visual art and performance.
His previous plays include Barber Shop Chronicles, The 14th Tale, Three Sisters and An Evening with an Immigrant.
Barber Shop Chronicles, also produced by Fuel, previously toured to Oxford Playhouse in 2019.
Ellams said he was pleased to reunite with Fuel and work with Weise and the new company.
He added: “I’m delighted to be reuniting with Fuel following Barber Shop Chronicles and Three Sisters, and to take this story across the country.”
Oxford Playhouse joins new Touring Together partnership
The production is the first show created through Touring Together, a national partnership designed to produce and tour new midscale theatre.
The initiative is led by China Plate and Fuel in collaboration with Oxford Playhouse, Brighton Dome, Leeds Playhouse, Royal & Derngate in Northampton and Warwick Arts Centre in Coventry.
Rather than venues booking a completed touring production separately, the partners are working collectively to develop, present and connect audiences with new plays.
Katy Snelling, Director of Programmes at Oxford Playhouse, said the partnership was intended to respond to the decline in new writing appearing on stages around the country.
She said the approach would allow venues to present relevant new work to the diverse communities they serve while encouraging conversations and connections through theatre.
Touring Together is supported through National Lottery funding from Arts Council England.
Oxford performance dates and access information
| Date | Time | Additional information |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 13 October | 7.30pm | Opening performance in Oxford |
| Wednesday 14 October | 7.30pm | Evening performance |
| Thursday 15 October | 7.30pm | BSL-interpreted performance |
| Friday 16 October | 7.30pm | £5 show tickets available through the Oxford Playhouse 14–25s scheme, subject to availability |
| Saturday 17 October | 2.30pm | Audio-described performance with touch tour |
| Saturday 17 October | 7.30pm | Final Oxford performance |
Touch tours are free for blind and partially sighted theatregoers and give participants an opportunity to explore the set, props and costumes before the performance. Places should be reserved through the Box Office.
The production will include an interval, but its full running time has not yet been confirmed.
Special event for younger theatregoers
Oxford Playhouse is also holding a pre-show event for members of its 14–25s scheme on Friday 16 October.
The event begins at 5.30pm and includes pizza, soft drinks, a programme and the opportunity to meet other young theatregoers before the performance.
The pre-show event costs £7 and does not include admission to the play. Members can book a separate £5 ticket for the 7.30pm performance, subject to availability.
Membership of the 14–25s scheme is free, although users need to register in advance and allow time for the discount to become active.
Full UK tour dates
| Dates | Venue | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 28 September to 10 October 2026 | Royal & Derngate | Northampton |
| 13 to 17 October 2026 | Oxford Playhouse | Oxford |
| 29 to 31 October 2026 | Nottingham Playhouse | Nottingham |
| 5 to 7 November 2026 | Warwick Arts Centre | Coventry |
| 11 to 14 November 2026 | Leeds Playhouse | Leeds |
| 17 to 21 November 2026 | Brighton Dome | Brighton |
| 2 to 13 February 2027 | Bristol Old Vic | Bristol |
Tour dates and booking links are also available through Fuel Theatre.
Planning your visit
| Venue | Oxford Playhouse |
| Address | Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2LW |
| Box Office | 01865 305305 |
| Box Office hours | Monday to Saturday, 12pm to 6pm |
| Age guidance | 14+ |
| Running time | To be confirmed |
| Booking | Oxford Playhouse event page |
FAQs
When is Once Upon a Time in Sokoto at Oxford Playhouse?
The production runs in Oxford from Tuesday 13 to Saturday 17 October 2026.
Is Oxford hosting the world premiere?
No. The world-premiere production opens at Royal & Derngate in Northampton on 28 September before travelling to Oxford.
What is the play about?
It follows an unlikely friendship between an enslaved woman and her former mistress in pre-colonial northern Nigeria, exploring power, faith, heritage, culture and political change.
Who wrote the play?
It was written by Nigerian-born poet, playwright and artist Inua Ellams, whose previous work includes Barber Shop Chronicles, The 14th Tale and Three Sisters.
Who is in the cast?
The cast is Adeola Yemitan, Antonia Layiwola, Bayo Gbadamosi and Will Atiomo.
Who directs the production?
It is directed by Roy Alexander Weise.
What is the age guidance?
Oxford Playhouse recommends the production for audiences aged 14 and over.
How long is the show?
The running time has not yet been confirmed. Oxford Playhouse says the production will include an interval.
Are there accessible performances?
Yes. The Thursday 15 October performance is BSL interpreted. The Saturday 17 October matinee is audio described and has an accompanying touch tour.
Are discounted tickets available for young people?
Members of Oxford Playhouse’s free 14–25s scheme can book £5 tickets for the Friday 16 October performance, subject to availability.
Where can tickets be booked?
Tickets can be booked through the Oxford Playhouse website or by calling the Box Office on 01865 305305.
