Written by US spoken word poet and playwright Dave Harris, Tambo & Bones is a blistering, darkly comic satire that fuses hip-hop and theatre to explore the intersection between race, capitalism and performance.
The production is directed by Matthew Xia aka DJ Xcalibah. Matthew was the first DJ to join BBC 1Xtra in 2001 after being recruited from his award-winning radio show on Juice FM, where he built a reputation for promoting UK rappers. He is also a multi-award-winning theatre director and the Artistic Director of the Actors Touring Company.Tambo & Bones was one of the most talked about cultural events when it was first performed in 2023.
It is an exhilarating, darkly comic and provocative satire on capitalism and Black performance that explores the commodification of the Black experience through the mediums of minstrelsy, hip-hop and afro-futurism. Spanning 500 years, Tambo and Bones journey from comedy double-act to hip-hop superstars to activists in a future America, contending with the alarming repercussions of a nation torn apart by race. Harris’ blistering play laughs through our past, blows the roof off our present and imagines an explosive future for our world and for theatre.
Clifford Samuel said: “Stepping into the role of Tambo is both a thrilling challenge and a privilege. Collaborating with such an extraordinary team fuels my passion for the craft. I’m eager to witness how audiences engage with the story and the production we’ve brought to life.”
Daniel Ward added: “The transitory nature of theatre means we do our best as artists to create moments that resonate with people and live long in their memories. Sometimes that happens, often it doesn’t. But with Tambo & Bones, people have never stopped asking me about it. More than just ask – people have wanted to debate, dissect and argue. They have passionately told me all the ways in which the show moved them. They have told me that they have never forgotten the show and never will. What is special about returning is honouring those experiences and what is exciting is the opportunity to create new memories with new audiences that hopefully last a lifetime.”
The creative team includes set and costume designers Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey and ULTZ, who won the 2023 UK Theatre Award for Best Design for the show. The full creative team are Lighting Designer Ciarán Cunningham, Hip-Hop Beats Excalibah*, Sound Designer & Additional Composition Richard Hammarton, Movement Director Kloé Dean, Video Designer Gino Ricardo Green, Associate Director Dubheasa Lanipekun, Costume Supervisor Ysanne Tidd, Fight Director Sam Lyon-Behan, Original fight choreography Kevin McCurdy, Voice and Dialect Coach Joel Trill, Magic & Illusions Consultant Chris Cox, Production Drama Therapist Wabriya King,Lighting Associate Tom Lightbody, Puppetry Designer Hugh Purves and Assistant Designer Mark Simmons.*WAR produced by Roly Botha and Excalibah and Dollas to Dreams, produced by Excalibah and Roly Botha.
An Actors Touring Company, Stratford East and Royal & Derngate co-production in association with Leeds Playhouse, Belgrade Theatre and Liverpool Everyman.
Tambo & Bones
Courtyard Theatre, Leeds Playhouse
14-24 May 2025
14+ (contains sounds of gunfire, violence, ethnic violence, strong language, strong racial language and discusses themes some may find upsetting relating to race)
Access Performances
British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted: Sat 24 May, 2.30pm
Captioned: Wed 21 May, 7.45pm
Access productions at Leeds Playhouse are sponsored by Principal and Access Partner Irwin Mitchell
Box office 0113 213 7700.
Book online leedsplayhouse.org.uk
Rehearsal images show Clifford Samuel (2:22 A Ghost Story, Dmitry), who will play Tambo, and Daniel Ward (Cat on A Hot Tin Roof, Rebellion), who will reprise his 2023 role as Bones.
Photography by Korey J Ryan.
