Touring Together Presents Once Upon a Time in Sokoto

Poet and playwright Inua Ellams’ award-winning Once Upon a Time in Sokoto, directed by Ola Ince, will have its World Premiere at Royal & Derngate, Northampton, on Monday 28 September 2026, with a Press Night on Friday 2 October 2026 . It will then tour to partner venues Oxford Playhouse (10-14 October 2026), Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry (5-7 November 2026), Leeds Playhouse (10-14 November 2026) and Brighton Dome (17-21 November 2026).

In addition to the partner venues, Nottingham Playhouse (29-31 October 2026) and Bristol Old Vic (2-13 February 2027) will also receive the production as part of its UK tour.

The award-winning Once Upon a Time in Sokoto tells the epic story of a beautiful but unlikely friendship forged between a slave and her former master. Differences in faith, culture and heritage are overcome in the face of new enemies, in a gripping family drama set against the backdrop of events leading to the creation of Nigeria.

“There are powers that bind the world together, softer than spirits yet stronger than stone, that tie the river to the tree, the tree to rain clouds, rain clouds to the land, and people to each other.”

Winner of the 2024 Alfred Fagon Award for Once Upon a Time in Sokoto, Nigeria-born Inua Ellams is an internationally celebrated poet, playwright, and artist. He has published four poetry collections, and his plays include the hugely popular and critically acclaimed Barber Shop Chronicles (Fuel/National Theatre, UK and International tour), the award-winning The 14th Tale (Fuel/UK tour) and his retelling of Three Sisters (National Theatre). 

Ed Collier, Co-Artistic Director, China Plate said: "We’re so excited to be launching Touring Together today bringing independent producers together with venues across the country to make and tour new theatre. This multi-year programme gives us a great opportunity to make new work with national significance, build new audiences and encourage long term theatre going habits. We’re really grateful to Arts Council England for their support for the programme. Inua Ellams’ Once Upon a Time in Sokoto is a phenomenal play to open the programme and there will be more great work to follow it, we can’t wait to give you more news later in the year! See you on tour in the autumn!"

Kate McGrath, Artistic Director & CEO, Fuel said: “We know from experience that commitment to relationships with partners and communities over time yields fruit. Touring Together aims to build on existing collaborations to produce new work for a wide and diverse audiences, through long-term partnership with venues and extensive engagement programmes around the shows themselves. Touring Together will enable us all to explore new ways of working, and we are actively looking for opportunities to connect and share what we learn. We’re also thrilled that the very first Touring Together show will be the World Premiere of Inua Ellams’ new play, which Fuel has commissioned and developed with care and excitement, and we can’t wait to share with the world.”  

Beth Byrne, Creative Director, Warwick Arts Centre said: “We're proud to be a key partner in Touring Together, an outstanding collaborative project championing new writing from major creative talents. Inua Ellams' sweeping epic narrative, Once Upon a Time in Sokoto, is an exceptional work, one which will excite and inspire audiences not only from our city but also the wider West Midlands; the perfect launchpad for this initiative.”