The Meaning of Zong | The Barbican Theatre
Written by Giles TereraAfter its critically-acclaimed run at Bristol Old Vic in 2022, Olivier Award-winner Giles Terera's The Meaning of Zong heads to the Barbican Theatre in London.
Giles Terera’s boldly inventive debut play celebrates the power of the human spirit against adversity, and the journey to understand our place in the world.
Two hundred years ago, Olaudah Equiano read the harrowing reports of a massacre aboard the slave ship Zong, where 133 Africans were thrown overboard. Joining forces with anti-slavery campaigner Granville Sharp to publicly condemn these actions, he helped set in motion events which led to the abolition movement in the UK.
But Olaudah’s mission goes beyond the courtroom. Having bought his own freedom, he now faces a personal battle to rediscover his past and accept his true self.
Based on real life historical events, this highly acclaimed play is performed by an ensemble cast including writer and Olivier Award-winner Giles Terera (Hamilton) and co-directed by Tom Morris (Touching the Void, War Horse).
Performances run from Thu 20 Apr - Sun 23 Apr, with matinee and evening performances, at the Barbican Theatre. Find out more and book via the Barbican's website.
Profoundly moving. A masterful meditation on the legacy of slavery.
Profoundly moving. A masterful meditation on the legacy of slavery
Sparkles with ingenuity
Transcendent, powerful, a story of our time
A captivating must-watch
A resounding success
A resonating achievement, poignant and glistening with brilliance
