Too Early For Birds returns with tribute to the legendary Wangari Maathai on April 10-12

The shovels are out, the stories are unearthed, and the stage is set. This April, the trailblazing theatrical series Too Early For Birds (TEFB) returns for its highly anticipated 9th edition.

Titled Shawry For Trees, this latest installment dives deep into the life, controversies, and legendary baddie energy of Kenya’s greatest environmental heroine: Prof. Dr. Wangarĩ Maathai.

Fifteen years after her passing, Wangarĩ Maathai remains a towering figure in global history. While the world knows her as a Nobel Peace Prize winner, TEFB aims to humanize the icon. The production explores the twisted controversies, the seminal milestones, and the pure, serendipitous luck that defined her journey from a village in Nyeri to the world stage.

“She practiced her politics through her skill in her field,” the production team notes. “Art is, to us, what biology was to her.”

The script has been written by Abigail Arunga, Wacuka Mũngai, and Ras Mengesha with research by a team including Ngartia and Kĩmemia Macharia. The script was also edited by Ndinda Kioko and the show has been produced by Sheba Hirst.

The 9th edition will take over the 800-seater auditorium at Jain Bhavan in Nairobi for a limited five-show run:

Friday, April 10th: 7:00 PM

Saturday, April 11th: 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM

Sunday, April 12th: 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM

Since 2017, Too Early For Birds has redefined Kenyan theatre. Founded through a collaboration between the historian Owaahh and performers Ngartia and Abu Sense, the series has tackled everything from the struggle of the Nyayo House survivors to the defiance of Field Marshal Muthoni Wa Kirima.

The ticket prices are available for sale HERE and they cost as follows:

Friday, April 10th, 2026

7:00 PM Show