Too Early For Birds is slated to host 2 shoes to celebrate the life and death of Kenyan politician Tom Mboya who was assassinated on 5 July 1969. It will be directed by Mugambi Nthiga.
The theatre outfit originally did 5 Tom Mboya shows between 5th October 2019 and 6th October 2019 but were forced to do extra shows after intense public demand.
The extra shows will be on 9th November 2019 (two shows) and on 10th November 2019 (two shows) at Visa Oshwal Community Center in Westlands, in Nairobi County. The two shows on 9th and 10th November 2019 will be from 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM on each day. Tickets are available here mookh.com/too-early-for-birds and will cost Ksh. 2,000.
Too Early For Birds is a series of theatrical storytelling productions retelling stories from Kenyan history. Since 2017, they have narrated stories about Wangari Maathai, The Nyayo House Survivors, Zarina Patel, Timothy Njoya, Field Marshal Muthoni Wa Kirima, Otenyo Nyamatere, Syokimau, William McMillan, the resistance at Lumboka and Chetambe forts, Wanugu, Wacucu and Rasta, amongst many others.
The production grew from a collaboration between Owaahh (from the award-winning history blog: owaahh.com) and two performing artists: Ngartia and Abu Sense. They are executive produced by Story Zetu and have sold out 14 of 20 stage performances.
This particular production is based on the life and death of Thomas Joseph Odhiambo Mboya aka Tom Mboya. He embodied a new generation of young, brilliant and driven Africans who were hell-bent on making the best out of freshly independent African nations. The production is baased on the life and death of Tom Mboya as written by Ngartia, Magunga Williams, Mercy Mbithe, Hellen Masido and Wanjiku Mwawuganga.
The cast includes Abu Sense, Doanna Owanno, Elsaphan Njora, Shiviske Shivisi, Anubhav Garg, Pauline Kyalo, Junior Nyong’o, Chandni Vaya, Xavier Ywaya, Mercy Mutisya and Ngartia.
Previous editions of Too Early for Birds included;
- Unsung Heroes – Edition 1: The first volume was staged on the 17th of May 2017 and focused on people who never made it to Kenya’s mainstream history. It was produced by Miriam Kadzitu of Code Ink and directed by Wanjiku Mwawuganga.
- Dissent – Edition 2: The second edition ran on the 29th and 30th of July. It focused on Kenyan stories of resistance. It was produced by Miriam Kadzitu of Code Ink and directed by Wanjiku Mwawuganga.
- Badassery – Edition 3: This edition told stories from the history of violent crime in Nairobi. It was staged on the 13th and 14th of January of 2018. And again on the 19th, due to public demand. It was produced by Miriam Kadzitu of Code Ink and directed by Wanjiku Mwawuganga.
- Brazen – Edition 4: The Brazen Edition was executive produced by the LAM Sisterhood and Story Zetu. Brazen was created, researched and written by the LAM Sisterhood, who are Laura Ekumbo, Aleya Kassam and Anne Moraa. It focussed on telling stories of heroic women in Kenyan history, and was staged by a team composed entirely of women – both in cast and crew. It was staged on the 27th, 28th and 29th of July 2018. It was produced by Gathoni Kimuyu and directed by Wanjiku Mwawuganga.