Idris Elba's music has inspired a new stage show, which will premiere at the Manchester International Festival in England this summer (Jul19).
Director Kwame Kwei-Armah created the project, titled Tree, around the movie star and DJ's Mi Mandela album, and Idris is on board as a producer.
The musical play follows a young Londoner's trip home to South Africa following a family tragedy.
Sinead Cusack has signed up to join the cast for the project's debut and a subsequent run at London's Young Vic theatre. She will be joined by Christian Bradley, Alfred Enoch and Lucy Briggs-Owen.
Director Kwei-Armah says, "I feel genuinely privileged to be working with this incredible group of actors, dancers and musicians to bring to life our shared vision for Tree, inspired by Idris’s intoxicating Mi Mandela album.
"As a director and as a producer, what excites me most is our attempt to blur the genre lines; Tree places the audience, standing, at the centre of the action - almost like a club, or a gig - and at the same time it takes them on a theatrical journey with a narrative that emotionally engages. We held some workshops with Alfie Enoch earlier this year, and the atmosphere in that room was fascinating. Now that the wonderful Sinead Cusack has joined us, along with a phenomenally talented group of multi-disciplined artists, I cannot wait to get into rehearsals and prepare to bring that infectious energy to audiences at MIF and the Young Vic later this year."
