FULL CAST AND WEST END TRANSFER ANNOUNCED FOR THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND - A NEW MUSICAL
FULL CAST ANNOUNCED AHEAD OF REHEARSALS BEGINNING NEXT MONTH
FULL CREATIVE TEAM ANNOUNCED INCLUDING CHIWETEL EJIOFOR AS CREATIVE ASSOCIATE
PRODUCTION TO TRANSFER TO @SOHOPLACE IN LONDON FOLLOWING STRATFORD-UPON-AVON RUN
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
A New Musical
Book and Lyrics by Richy Hughes
Music and Lyrics by Tim Sutton
Adapted from/based on the book by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer and Potboiler Productions Film
Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Tuesday 10 February – Saturday 28 March 2026
Press Night: Thursday 19 February at 7pm
@sohoplace, London
Saturday 25 April – Saturday 18 July 2026
RSC BOX OFFICE for Stratford-upon-Avon: rsc.org.uk, 01789 331111
@SOHOPLACE BOX OFFICE for London: sohoplace.org, 0330 333 5961
DOWNLOAD IMAGES HERE
DOWNLOAD VIDEO HERE
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Kenny Wax Limited and Chuchu Nwagu Productions today reveal the full cast and creative team for the stage premiere of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, a bold and uplifting new musical telling the true story of William Kamkwamba. The announcement comes as the company prepare to start rehearsals ahead of the production’s opening at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in February 2026.
Following a 6-week run in Stratford-upon-Avon, the production will transfer to @sohoplace in London’s West End for a strictly limited 12-week run from 25 April – 18 July 2026.
Priority booking for the London run is available to RSC Patrons, Members and Subscribers via @sohoplace Box Office from Monday 24 November at 10am with public booking from Wednesday 26 November at 10am.
RSC Co-Artistic Directors Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey said: “We are thrilled to announce the outstanding cast who will bring The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind to life at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon next year. This inspiring story, known around the world through book and film, now takes to the stage as our first musical – a landmark moment in our time at the RSC. We are equally delighted to announce that the production will transfer to @sohoplace, continuing our close collaboration with Nica Burns following the success of Kyoto. Taking this story to London reflects our ambition to share the RSC’s work – and the extraordinary global stories that unite and move us – with as many people as possible.”
This production is directed by Lynette Linton (Alterations, Shifters), formerly Artistic Director of the Bush Theatre, with book and lyrics by Richy Hughes (Southwark Playhouse Superhero) and music and lyrics by Tim Sutton (Restless Natives, RSC The Merry Wives of Windsor).
Alistair Nwachukwu will make his RSC debut as William Kamkwamba. He can currently be seen on stage at the Almeida Theatre in the sold-out production of The Line of Beauty. His previous theatre credits also include Choir Boy (Bristol Old Vic). On screen, Alistair’s credits include Netflix’s Shadow and Bone and the upcoming film short A Friend of Dorothy which premiered at the Raindance Film Festival earlier this year.
Joining Alistair and completing the Kamkwamba family are Madeline Appiah (Agnes), Tsemaye Bob-Egbe (Annie) and Sifiso Mazibuko (Trywell).
Madeline was recently on stage with the RSC in Yaël Farber’s The Winter’s Tale. Other RSC credits include Macbeth, The Merchant of Venice and The Taming of the Shrew. Theatre credits include Cymbeline (Globe), Kerry Jackson, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Here We Go, Welcome to Thebes (National Theatre) and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical (Aldwych).
Tsemaye also makes her RSC debut. She was most recently seen on stage in Play On! – a jazz musical based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at the Lyric Hammersmith and on UK tour. Previous theatre credits include Six the Musical, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.
Sifiso will make his RSC debut in this role. His previous theatre credits include Girl From the North Country (Old Vic), A Good House (Royal Court), Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations (Prince Edward), Hamilton (Victoria Palace) and Motown: The Musical (Shaftesbury).
Full company comprises; Madeline Appiah (Agnes Kamkwamba), Lori Barker (Ensemble), Tsemaye Bob-Egbe (Annie Kamkwamba), Owen Chaponda (Mike Kachigunda/Blessings), McCallam Connell (Chief Wimbe), Eddie Elliott (Jeremiah Kamkwamba /Patience), Tad Hapaguti (Offstage Understudy), Daniel Haswell (Offstage Understudy), Shaka Kalokoh (Charity), Idriss Kargbo (Gilbert Mofat), Newtion Matthews (Mister Ofesi), Sifiso Mazibuko (Trywell Kamkwamba), Choolwe Laina Muntanga (Mika Kamkwamba), Alistair Nwachukwu (William Kamkwamba), Tomi Ogbaro (Mizeck), Alex Okoampa (Ensemble), Yana Penrose (Khamba), Helena Pipe (Edith Sikelo).
On announcing the cast, director Lynette Linton said: “I’m so excited to finally share the brilliant cast who will bring this new musical adaptation of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind to life. This production has grown through collaboration and creativity, reflecting the spirit of community that lies at the heart of Wimbe, where this story began. It’s a tale of imagination, resilience and collective hope. Every member of this company brings so much energy, intelligence and warmth to the room, I can’t wait to work with these brilliant humans and for our audiences to discover William’s story. Let’s go!”
Also announced today, writer, director and actor Chiwetel Ejiofor is Creative Associate for the project and Executive Producer for the West End transfer. Ejiofor previously wrote, directed and starred in the 2019 film version of the same title, and on joining the creative team, he said: “I am absolutely delighted to be involved with the exceptional team bringing William’s story to theatre audiences. William’s incredible experiences are a powerful testament to resilience and hope. It’s a narrative that remains both timeless and timely and, I’m sure, will continue to resonate deeply with everyone who encounters it.”
Please click here to view and download a short film with William Kamkwamba and the creative team who visited Malawi last month to learn more about his story.
William wants to build a windmill. Nobody believes he can – not his father nor his friends. Hope feels out of reach where the land is thirsty but the rains don't come. As drought closes in on his family’s farm and the village he loves, everyone prays for a miracle.
All William has to hand are some library books and scraps of old machinery. The rest must come from within. Will he defy expectations? Will the wind turn the sails of his invention, produce the gift of power, and give hope for tomorrow?
Joining Lynette Linton, Richy Hughes and Tim Sutton on the creative team are Set and Costume Designer Frankie Bradshaw, Choreographer Shelley Maxwell, Lighting Designer Oliver Fenwick, Sound Designer George Dennis, Video Designer Gino Ricardo Green, Wigs, Hair and Make Up Designer Cynthia De La Rosa, Music Supervisor Liam Godwin, Orchestrator Benjamin Kwasi Burrell, Puppet Designer Nick Barnes, Puppetry Director Laura Cubitt, Fight Director Kate Waters, Dramaturg George Harrison, Dramatherapist Wabriya King, Casting Director Heather Basten CDG, Music Director Ashton Moore, Voice and Dialect Joel Trill, Associate Director TD Moyo, Assistant Dramaturg Owen Chaponda and Creative Associate Chiwetel Ejiofor.
This production was commissioned by and is presented in association with Kenny Wax Limited and Chuchu Nwagu Productions.
The London run @sohoplace is presented in association with Nica Burns.
With thanks to Season Supporter Charles Holloway OBE
Miranda Curtis CMG – Lead Production Supporter
ENDS
For press enquiries (The Swan, Stratford-upon-Avon) please contact: Bethany Arnold, bethany.arnold@rsc.org.uk
For press enquiries (@sohoplace) please contact: Jo Allan, jo@joallanpr.com
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Instagram: @thersc
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NOTES TO EDITORS
The RSC is supported using public funding by Arts Council England
The work of the RSC is supported by the Culture Recovery Fund
The RSC is generously supported by RSC America
With thanks to Season Supporter Charles Holloway OBE
Miranda Curtis CMG – Lead Production Supporter of The Winter’s Tale and The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind
RSC £10 Tickets for 14-25s supported by TikTok
The RSC Acting Companies are generously supported by The Gatsby Charitable Foundation
New Work at the RSC is generously supported by Hawthornden Foundation and The Drue and H.J. Heinz II Charitable Trust
Assisted Performances at the RSC are kindly supported by The Sainsbury Trust
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a leading global theatre company that sparks local, national and international conversations that build connections, create opportunities and bring joy.
We passionately believe that great storytelling can change the world, and that theatre offers its own unique form of storytelling: it’s live and shared, and transforms a group of strangers into audiences who, together, experience a story come to life in front of their eyes.
We collaborate with the most exciting artists to tell the stories of our time, and through a range of programmes we nurture the talent of the future.
We perform on three stages in our home in Stratford-upon-Avon, in London and in communities and schools across the country and around the world.
Our transformative Creative Learning and Engagement programmes reach over half a million young people each year.
KENNY WAX MBE (Producer), past president of the Society of London Theatre (2017-2020), is the worldwide producer of Tony Award-winning and Laurence Olivier-nominated SIX the Musical.
He has produced 11 productions with Mischief Theatre: A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong, currently on a UK tour opens at the Apollo Theatre in December 2025; The Comedy About Spies played to sold out audiences this summer at the Noel Coward Theatre, The Play That Goes Wrong (winner of the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy and a Tony Award on Broadway) is enjoying its 11th year in the West End at the Duchess Theatre; Peter Pan Goes Wrong; The Mind Mangler: Member of the Tragic Circle; The Comedy About a Bank Robbery; Mischief Movie Night (In) gained Mischief its fourth consecutive Olivier nomination; Groan Ups and Magic Goes Wrong. Kenny was Executive Producer of two Christmas television specials on BBC One: Peter Pan Goes Wrong and A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong, as well as the BBC comedy series The Goes Wrong Show.
In 2026, he’s co-producing the UK tour of the brand-new musical, The Karate Kid – The Musical based on the iconic 1984 film.
Other current productions include Just For One Day (The Live Aid Musical) at the Shaftesbury Theatre and Top Hat on a UK tour with a run at Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall December 2025.
Past Laurence Olivier Award-winning productions include Top Hat (winner of three Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical), Once on This Island (Best New Musical), The Worst Witch (Best Family Entertainment) and last year’s nominated Why Am I So Single? (Best New Musical).
Chuchu Nwagu Productions (CNP) is an independent theatrical and live entertainment company founded in 2019 to develop, commission, invest in, and produce world-class theatre and entertainment in the UK, US and Internationally. Through all of its work, CNP looks to disrupt the canon, democratise theatre, tell world-class stories, create inclusive experiences, elevate the voices of the under-represented and be the changing face of theatre. Recent producing credits include Hell’s Kitchen (North American Tour); Dear England (UK Tour); BURLESQUE! The Musical (Savoy and UK); RETROGRADE (Apollo); The Roommate (Broadway); SHIFTERS (Duke of York’s); RED PITCH (@sohoplace); Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman (Broadway); Dreamgirls! The Musical (UK and Ireland Tour). Upcoming productions include The P Word (Bush Theatre and West End) in partnership with Seventh Productions and Tan France. For more information on Chuchu Nwagu Productions, please visit www.chuchunwagu.co.uk
Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. We have set out our strategic vision in Let’s Create that by 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone of us has access to a remarkable range of high-quality cultural experiences. We invest public money from Government and The National Lottery to help support the sector and to deliver this vision. www.artscouncil.org.uk. Following the Covid-19 crisis, the Arts Council developed a £160 million Emergency Response Package, with nearly 90% coming from the National Lottery, for organisations and individuals needing support. We are also one of the bodies responsible for administering the Government’s unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund, of which we delivered over £1 billion to the sector in grants and loans. Find out more at www.artscouncil.org.uk/covid19.
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