On the evening of 5th June 2013, Dr Victor Ukaegbu and Dr Jumai Ewu hosted a very special re-union of the production team and cast members behind the 2008 JAWI Theatre collective production, Who Can Tell?…!.

This community based play was based on material from the oral history archives of the Northamptonshire Black History Association (NBHA) and gave theatrical voice to black people’s experiences of living and growing up in 1960s Northampton.

The re-union featured a small exhibition by the NBHA and was attended by twenty people from The University of Northampton as well as NBHA members and independent creatives, including Nikki Taylor (Specialist in the Oral History archives at the NBHA) and Who Can Tell?…! cast and crew Weekes Baptiste (director / stage manager), Oladipo Agboluaje (playwright), Myrle Roach (performer) and Funmi Adewole Kruczkowska (choreographer).

The evening also featured an extract from Who Can Tell?…! actress Ria Hartley’s recent Arts Council England and National Lottery funded project, Matilda and Me.

Above: Matilda and Me by Ria Hartley on YouTube

The Hounding of David Oluwale by Kester Aspden

The purpose of this evening was to reflect on the impact of Who Can Tell?…! on the creative practice of its producers and performers. The event also provided a forum for Victor and Jumai to announce the pilot of an exciting new project in collaboration with Richard Hollingum and Oladipo Agboluaje, whose adaptation of Kester Aspden’s The Hounding of David Oluwale was nominated for Best Director at the 2009 Theatrical Management Association Awards. Oladipo has written part one of a radio play titled Such A Long Journey, which Victor, Jumai and Richard will be involved in rehearsing and producing later this month. Such A Long Journey is inspired by Who Can Tell?…!.

To be involved in the open rehearsed reading of Such A long Journey, which will be at the Doddridge Centre, Northampton on Wednesday 19 June, please contact Victor Ukaegbu (victor.ukaegbu@northampton.ac.uk) and Jumai Ewu (jumai.ewu@northampton.ac.uk).

It is also hoped that later this month, the radio play will be appearing on Northamptonshire’s Inspiration FM.