Cast announced for World Premiere of Mojisola Adebayo’s award-winning play Family Tree

The cast has been announced for the World Premiere and National Tour of Mojisola Adebayo’s award-winning play Family Tree, presented by Actors Touring Company (ATC) and Belgrade Theatre Coventry in association with Brixton House Theatre.

This powerful and poetic drama explores race, health, the environment and the incredible legacy of one of the most influential black women of modern times, Henrietta Lacks, whose influence on modern-day medicine still reverberates today.

Family Tree won the 2021 Alfred Fagon Award, the leading Black British Playwriting prize, for best new play, and will run from April 12 – 23 at Brixton House Theatre.

Director Matthew Xia, said: “Mojisola Adebayo is an exceptional writer and I’m excited that her award-winning play will be seen by audiences far and wide.

“There’s a beauty in her work that responds so well to the present moment while also holding historical malpractice to account. It’s fearless, brutally honest, at turns hilarious, and ultimately transformative.

“Henrietta’s HeLa cell line forms the basis of the most important medical research and breakthroughs across the last 70 years, from cancer and HIV to Covid, we owe our lives to her. Denied her place in history, now is the time to bring Henrietta’s epic legacy to life on stage.”

Mojisola Adebayo said: “‘When I met Matthew Xia, Henrietta Lacks came into our minds at exactly the same time. Xia is magic but Lacks is more. She’s immortal and her body has touched every life on the planet – yours, mine. So why have so few people heard of her?

“The play paints a family tree of black women whose cells, blood and waters have birthed, raised and changed the world.”

A spokesman for Brixton House said: “Family Tree spotlights the story of Henrietta Lacks, and what we owe to her legacy. Henrietta’s story will surprise many while also highlighting the need for medical research to be more transparent especially as a concern for black communities.

“Family Tree is an urgent part of our history and a unique opportunity for the Black diaspora to connect and reflex on how our bodies have long been commodified.

“Brixton House embarks on an exciting partnership with ATC to bring this production to Brixton as the genesis of future partnerships.”

Picture: Family Tree Picture: Actors Touring Company