Gathoni Kimuyu, dubbed Producer of the Year (Kenya Theatre Awards 2024), has spent fifteen years as the unseen force, transforming scripts into cultural phenomena. On November 28th, she steps out of the wings to share the narrative that matters most: her own survival.
She has shaped Kenya’s most iconic theatre moments, from Machachari to MaEmpress to the legendary Too Early For Birds, and is about to take center stage with the story that almost broke her.
FREE ME is Gathoni’s first personal stage project. It is an account of enduring a marriage that devolved into a war zone and the journey to finding liberation on the other side of that violence.
Based on Gathoni’s lived experience, the play tracks one woman’s trajectory from teenager to survivor. It is a powerful exploration of a relationship that promised love but delivered brutality. The title itself works on two levels: it is both a desperate cry for help and a defiant victory anthem for someone who made it out alive.
“In Kenya, gender-based violence statistics climb higher each month. Gathoni knows her story carries weight beyond entertainment… Her story is a testament to the few who are lucky enough to walk away.”
The production transforms original source material, researched and written by Magunga Williams, into powerful, life-saving art. The story is brought to life by a cast that includes: Nungari Kiore, Renee Gichuki, Joan Cherono, Ella Maina, and Gathoni Maina.
Gathoni reunites with Mugambi Nthiga, Director of the Year (Kenya Theatre Awards 2023 & 2024). Their collaborations on Too Early For Birds and Tom Mboya are cornerstones of Kenyan theatre. Together, they channel their chemistry into answering a profound question: How do you stage trauma without causing more harm?
The answer lies in five women embodying the different stages of a survivor’s journey: past selves, present realities, and future possibilities, converging in one resilient story.
The creative team is further strengthened by:
- Saumu Kombo, fresh from winning Best Scripted TV Series at the AMVCA 2025 (Market Price, Midnight Train).
- Mercy Mutisya, Best Scriptwriter at the Women In Film Awards 2023, with credits across Showmax, M-Net, and Netflix (Untying Kantai, Click Click Bang).
FREE ME is more than a play. It is theatre as activism, art as healing, and performance as permission to speak up and refuse the shame of abuse.
- For survivors: It offers vital validation: Your pain matters. Your survival counts.
- For everyone else: It is a stark, necessary reminder: The woman next to you might be fighting an unimaginable battle.
Gathoni Kimuyu, the powerhouse known to many as Queen Gathoni, is betting fifteen years of professional success on the power of her own truth.
PERFORMANCE DETAILS
- Venue: C.U. Shah Jain Bhavan, Loresho, Nairobi
- Opening Night: Friday, November 28th at 7 PM
Additional Shows:
- Saturday: 3 PM and 7 PM
- Sunday: 3 PM and 7 PM
Tickets are available here mookh.com/event/free-me.