China Plate and Fuel Announce Touring Together

China Plate and Fuel, in collaboration with Brighton Dome, Leeds Playhouse, Oxford Playhouse, Royal & Derngate, Northampton and Warwick Arts Centre, are today excited to launch Touring Together – a new national touring initiative across the UK. 

This strategic partnership for producing and touring new midscale theatre will bring bold new plays to audiences, creating a robust network of touring venues who will collectively make, present and partner on the work. 

Working with exceptional artists to share new work and embrace diverse stories that shine fresh light on the world we live in, Touring Together will present a new show that will tour to all of the partner venues and beyond in October 2026 and again in the same timeframe in 2027. The first show, Once Upon A Time in Sokoto by Inua Ellams, directed by Ola Ince, will be produced by Fuel and will be presented in autumn 2026 followed by a China Plate production in autumn 2027.

Once Upon a Time in Sokoto tells the epic story of a beautiful but unlikely friendship forged between a slave and her former master. Differences in faith, culture and heritage are overcome in the face of new enemies, in a gripping family drama set against the backdrop of events leading to the creation of Nigeria.

Winner of the 2024 Alfred Fagon Award for Once Upon a Time in Sokoto, Nigeria-born Inua Ellams is an internationally celebrated poet, playwright, and artist. He has published four poetry collections, and his plays include the hugely popular and critically acclaimed Barber Shop Chronicles (Fuel/National Theatre, UK and International tour) and the award-winning The 14th Tale (Fuel/UK tour) and his retelling of Three Sisters (National Theatre).

In addition to the partner venues Nottingham Playhouse and Bristol Old Vic will also receive the production as part of its UK tour.

Touring Together is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. 

For more information, please visit the Once Upon a Time in Sokoto page – tickets on sale soon.