Renowned Nigerian Musical 'Fela and the Kalakuta Queens,' Is Heading to South Africa
Fela Kuti and the Kalakuta Queens during its Lagos run. Image courtesy of BAP Productions.
"Nigerians form a strong community in promoting Nigerian and African culture in notable cities around the globe," says Austen-Peters—who is also the woman responsible for bringing the first Nigerian play to London's West End. "We believe that a historic and cultural production like Fela and the Kalakuta Queens will be received well in South Africa—considering Fela's iconic status and the increasing interest in afrobeat internationally."
The accomplished playwright, producer and director spoke to BBC Africa last year, about the musical, and her decision to highlight the women in Fela Kuti's life. "It just occurred to me that nobody ever talked about the 27 wives that he had," said Peters. "And I wondered who they were? I wanted to understand what informed their decision to marry one man, and what drove them. You know, what was their passion?" We highlighted Austen-Peters as part of our #Goals series back in 2017.
Fela Kuti and the Kalakuta Queens will show at the South African State Theatre from March 27 to April 7. For more, revisit our exclusive look inside the musical during its 2017 Lagos run.
