Born to a Muslim father and a Christian mother in what is now considered by many to be Boko Haram territory, Inua Ellams left Nigeria for England in 1996 aged 12, moved to Ireland for three years, before returning to London and starting work as a writer and graphic designer. An Evening with an Immigrant premiered in 2017 produced by Fuel in partnership with Liberty. Part of this story was documented in Inua’s autobiographical Fringe First award-winning play The 14th Tale. Littered with poems, stories, and anecdotes, Ellams will tell his ridiculous, fantastic, poignant immigrant-story of escaping fundamentalist Islam, directing an arts festival at his college in Dublin, performing solo shows at the National Theatre, and drinking wine with the Queen of England, all the while without a country to belong to or place to call home.

Inua Ellams is an award-winning poet, performer, playwright, graphic artist, and designer. He started performing in cafes in 2003 and has since worked in venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Sydney Opera House, Nuyorican Poets Cafe, and Glastonbury Music Festival.  He is the recipient of an Edinburgh Fringe First Award for his autobiographical winning play The 14th Tale.  He has also undertaken several commissions, including those for Louis Vuitton and Soho Theatre. Following two sell-out runs at the National Theatre and a world tour, his play Barber Shop Chronicles (A Fuel, National Theatre, and Leeds Playhouse co-production) also ran at the Roundhouse in 2019. His adaptation of Three Sisters was co-produced by the National Theatre and Fuel in 2019-2020.

#AnEveningWithAnImmigrant

Performance Schedule:

New dates

Due to the lockdown, the performance on 7th November was cancelled.

Credit:

Written and performed by Inua Ellams.

With music selection by DJ Sid Mercutio.