The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

About The Show

Based on the international best-selling memoir, this bold and uplifting new musical tells the extraordinary true story of William Kamkwamba.

In drought-stricken Malawi, a 13-year-old boy dreams of saving his village. Nobody believes he can – not his father, his friends, nor his community. As crops fail and hope runs dry, William finds inspiration in scraps of old machinery and a handful of library books. What he lacks in resources, he makes up for in determination, grit and imagination, and a windmill begins to take shape. Can William defy expectations and harness the power of the wind to bring energy, life, and hope to his people?

Chiwetel Ejiofor, who wrote, directed, and starred in the 2019 film joins the West End production as Executive Producer.

Adapted from William Kamkwamba’s memoir and Ejiofor’s film, this West End premiere transfers directly from Stratford-upon-Avon, directed by Lynette Linton (Shifters, Sweat, Intimate Apparel, Blues for an Alabama Sky), formerly Artistic Director of the Bush Theatre, with book and lyrics by Richy Hughes (Superhero) and music and lyrics by Tim Sutton (Restless Natives, RSC’s The Merry Wives of Windsor).

A celebration of human ingenuity and the courage to dream in the face of impossible odds, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is a powerful story where imagination brings hope for tomorrow.

Humanity finds its power @sohoplace Spring 2026.

Please note: This production contains loud music and flashing lights

  • Show Dates

    25th April 2026 - 18th July 2026
  • Duration

    Approx 2 hours 30 minutes including an interval
  • Age Recommendation

    6+
  • Ticket Info

    @sohoplace has contactless ticketing for every performance. Tickets will be issued electronically 48 hours prior to the performance.

    Fair access: 50% off across all bands

  • Group Tickets

    Group Booking Enquiries
    Call us on 0330 333 5963 or email us at groups@sohoplace.org

    Groups 10+
    £49.50 for Monday to Thursday performances

    Education Rate 10+
    £25 for Monday to Wednesday evenings and Thursday matinee performances. One teacher goes free with every 10 tickets

Cast

Madeleine Appiah

Agnes

Theatre includes: The Winter’s Tale, Macbeth, The Merchant of Venice, The Taming of the Shrew (RSC); Cymbeline (The Globe); Kerry Jackson, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Here We Go; Welcome to Thebes (National Theatre); Tina Turner The Musical (Aldwych); Hamlet (Harold Pinter Theatre); The Hotel Cerise (Theatre Royal Stratford); Iyalode of Eti (Utopia Theatre/Rich Mix/Arcola); In The Next Room or The Vibrator Play (St James Theatre); The Duchess of Malfi (Old Vic); Speechless (Shared Experience); Off the Endz (Royal Court); Mother Goose (Greenwich Theatre); It Felt Empty When the Heart Went at First… (Arcola/Clean Break); Arabian Nights (New Vic); Dionysis Unbound (Bridewell Theatre); 200 Years, Cinderella (Watford Palace); The Wedding Dance (Birmingham Rep/Tour); Restoration (Oxford Stage Company); I Have Before Me… (Calypso); Brezhnev’s Children (BAC); Ms Ross: The Lady and Her Music (Neptune Theatre).

TV and Film include: Death in Paradise (BBC), Blood of My Blood (Starz/Sony), Black Mirror (Netflix), Jungle (Amazon Prime), The Box, In the Long Run (Sky), Elephant, King for a Term (Sky), Partners in Crime (BBC), Doctors (BBC), Gavin and Stacey (BBC), EastEnders (BBC), The Bill (ITV), Holby City (BBC).

Lori Barker

Ensemble

Lori trained at the Urdang Academy.

Theatre credits include: The Harder They Come (Stratford East); Tina: The Musical (West End); Bodyguard (China tour); Ghost The Musical (UK tour); Juicy Bits (Orange Tree); Play Mas (Orange Tree); Hairspray (UK tour) and Legally Blonde (UK tour).

Pantomimes include: Cinderella (Theatre Royal Nottingham) and Jack & The Beanstalk (Hackney Empire).

TV Credits include: Jemma in Doctors (BBC); Dancer in The Lenny Henry Birthday Show (BBC One); Haven Holidays (TV commercial) and Sue in Harvey’s ‘Sofas for You’ (TV commercial).

Tsemaye Bob-Egbe

Annie

Theatre includes: Viola/Vyman in Play On! The Musial (UK tour/Lyric Hammersmith); Katherine Howard in Six the Musical (West End); Jan Crouch in Tammy Faye workshop (Almeida Theatre); Tina Turner in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical (West End); An Evening of Tina (Tour); Alline Bullock/Ikette in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical (West End); Leading Player in Pippin (Garden Theatre); Janelle Woods/The Shirelles in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (West End); Mephisto in The Vaudevillians (Les Enfants Terribles, Edinburgh Fringe); Fairy in Tweedy’s Reduced Pantomime (Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham); Paulina in The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare (RCSSD).

Film/TV includes: Vivian Ofori in Pretty Red Dress (BBC/BFI feature film); The BBC One Show; ITV This Morning; Britain’s Got Talent Live Final.

Voice Over includes: Picoletta in Benjamin Bat (Amazon Prime); Rosy Meviungou in Second Extinction (Windows and Xbox); Jelda in Horizon Forbidden West (PlayStation). Several internal and external campaigns which include Great Western Railway, AMEX, Adidas, Asics, Maggi, Microsoft, Vodafone, and H&M.

Trained at: Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (RCSSD)

Owen Chaponda

Mike Kachigunda + Blessings

Credits include: ‘Simba’ in West End’s The Lion King, I’m Your Rope (Jermyn Street Theatre), Sunset Boulevard (The Curve), The Color Purple (The Curve/Birmingham Hippodrome) and Back To The Future Musical.

McCallam Connell

Chief Wimbe

McCallam is a London-based actor, singer, and writer whose stage career spans classical drama, new writing, and musical theatre. His recent appearance in Boubil & Schönberg’s Martin Guerre produced by The Old Vic, follows on from notable performances in The Colour Purple (UK Tour), Playboy of the West Indies (Birmingham Rep), and Small Island at The National Theatre).

Alongside his theatre work, McCallam is a platinum-accredited recording artist and songwriter whose collaborations include Grammy Award–winning writers, producers and  artists, most notable Tina Turner.

Eddie Elliott

Jeremiah Kamkwamba + Patience

Training: Eddie Elliott trained at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.

Theatre: Noughts & Crosses at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, A Strange Loop at The Barbican, Blues For An Alabama Sky at The National. In London’s West End: The Lion King and Motown: The Musical. Other productions include: Spamilton at the Menier Chocolate Factory; We Will Rock You – Original UK tour; South Pacific at The Barbican and on UK tour; Assassins at the Watermill and Nottingham Playhouse; Drive Ride Walk at Greenwich; Dry Cleaned for Intermission; Puss in Boots at Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds; The Music Man at Chichester; A Chorus Line and The Buddy Holly Story at The Gaiety Theatre, Isle of Man; Five Guys Named Moe at Theatre at the Mill, Belfast and Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater Concert at The Other Palace.

TV: The War Between The Land And The Sea (BBC/Disney), Riches (ITV), Eastenders (BBC), Doctors (BBC)

Tad Hapaguti

Offstage Understudy

Training: Emil Dale Academy

Theatre includes: Tyrone Jackson in Fame (European Tour), Ensemble in The Book of Mormon (West End), Ensemble in The Book of Mormon (UK Tour). Ensemble in The Little Shop of Horrors (The Factory Playhouse), Daddy Brubeck in Sweet Charity (The Factory Playhouse).

Workshops include: Ensemble / Headteacher in The Afterschool Death Day Club, Ensemble in Kin The Musical. 

Tad is represented by Brewis Scott Associates and is thrilled to be joining the cast of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. He would like to thank his family and friends for their continued love and support.

Daniel Haswell

Offstage Understudy

Training: Royal Academy of Music

Stage Credits: Richard Bullock, Cover Ike Turner in Tina The Musical (Aldwych Theatre) Johnny Moore, Gerhart Thrasher and others in The Drifters Girl (UK Tour) Swing and cover Otis in Aint Too Proud (Prince Edward Theatre) Ensemble and cover Mafala in The Book of Mormon (UK Tour) ; Ensemble/Stevie Wonder in Motown: The Musical (UK & Ireland Tour); West End Christmas.

Film Credits: Bunuel in The Labyrinth of the Turtles

Shaka Kalokoh

Charity

Theatre includes: The Odyssey (Unicorn Theatre); Henry V: schools tour (Donmar); The Lion The Witch & The Wardrobe (Gillian Lynne)

Trained at: Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Idriss Kargbo

Gilbert Mofat

Idriss Kargbo trained at The Sylvia Young Theatre School & The Urdang Academy.

Theatre Credits Include: Manly in Austenland (Savoy Theatre) Young Siddhartha in The Seeker (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) Judge Jude in I Wish You Well ( Criterion Theatre/ Edinburgh Fringe); Lewis in Pippin 50th Anniversary Concert (Theatre Royal Drury Lane); Tulsa in GYPSY (Manchester Opera House); Little Moe in Five Guys Named Moe (Marble Arch Theatre); Boq In Wicked The Musical (Apollo Victoria); Donkey in Shrek The Musical (UK & Ireland Tour); Eugene Williams in The Scottsboro Boys (The Young Vic); Young Michael Jackson in Thriller Live (Lyric Theatre); Handwalker in Oliver! (Theatre Royal Drury Lane); Young Simba in Disney’s The Lion King (Lyceum Theatre); Alternate Sean in Burlesque the musical (Savoy Theatre).

TV Credits Include: Casualty (BBC), Years & Years (BBC/HBO), Doctors (BBC), Grinch The Musical (NBC), Bad Education (BBC) and Spent (BBC)

Film Credits Include: Bingley in SNOW WHITE (Walt Disney Studios) MUGGED! (Short Film) Been So Long (Netflix)

Choolwe Laina Muntanga

Mika Kamkwamba

Training: Arts Educational

Theatre: ALFRED HITCHOCK PRESENTS (Theatre Royal Bath), A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN (Peacock Theatre), THE BODYGUARD (Festival Ljubljana), CHEEKY LITTLE BROWN (Stratford East)

Film: A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN

Concerts: PIPPIN 50th ANNIVERSARY CONCERT (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), OLIVIER AWARDS 2024 (Royal Albert Hall), BBC Proms (Royal Albert Hall)

Commercials: Abba Voyage

Music Video: Genesis – RAYE

Newtion Matthews

Mister Ofesi

Training: WAC Performing Arts & Media

Theatre credits include: The Harder They Come (Stratford East); Kinky Boots (UK & Ireland Tour 2025); Once On This Island (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical (Lyric Theatre, West End); Camelot in Concert (London Palladium); The Frontline (Shakespeare’s Globe); Black Power Desk (The Old Vic).

Television & film credits include: Electric Queens of Brixton (Verona Rose Productions); People We Hate At the Wedding (Amazon/ Little Satellite); The X Factor (ITV/ Freemantle); The Voice (BBC).

Newtion is currently gearing up for the release of his upcoming EP: The Father, The Son & Holy Black.

Sifiso Mazibuko

Trywell

Training: The Ohio State University, Master of Fine Arts Acting.

Theatre Includes: Girl From the North Country (Old Vic), A Good House (Royal Court), Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations (Ira Pittelman, Tom Hulce, Stephen Gabriel & Jamie Wilson Productions Ltd), Hamilton (Cameron Mackintosh Ltd), Motown The Musical (Adam Spiegel Productions), Dreamgirls The Musical, Malindadzimu, I,Medea (SABAB Theatre), A Land Without People, The First Actress (Palindrome Productions), Dancers (Wrought Atlas Theatre Ensemble), The Tempest (Flute Theatre), The Theatre is a Blank page (Anne Bogart, SITI Company, Ann Hamilton), The Tempest (Ohio State University).

TV Includes: The Winter King, Willow, Similla’s Sense of Snow, Masters of The Air

Film Includes: Here be Giants, Pretville

Alistair Nwachukwu

William Kamkwamba

Theatre includes: The Line of Beauty (Almeida), Choir Boy (Bristol Old Vic)

Film includes: A Friend of Dorothy

Television includes: Shadow and Bone, NCIS: Tony and Ziva 

Tomi Ogbaro

Mizeck

Theatre includes: Ignatius! (Tramshed Theatre), Book of Will (Shakespeare North), Rapunzel/ Alice in wonderland (Liverpool Everyman/playhouse), Book of Dust (The Bridge theatre), The wonderful world of Dissocia (Theatre Royal Stratford east), Jane Eyre (New Vic/SJT), Seagulls (Octagon Theatre), An Act of Care (York Theatre Royal), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) and Sweet Charity (The Watermill Theatre)

Television includes: Endeavour (ITV), Holier Than Thou (Dave/uktv), Temple (Sky)

Film includes: Rose’s baby, See How They Run (Disney), Dao hides no name (Indie)

Trained at: Rose Bruford School of Theatre and Performance

Alex Okoampa

Ensemble

Theatre includes: Play On! (Lyric Hammersmith & UK Tour); RENT (New Theatre & Queens Theatre); The Color Purple (Birmingham Hippodrome, UK Tour); EI8HT – An Original Musical Presentation (The Other Palace); TINA: The Tina Turner Musical (Aldwych Theatre); Motown the Musical (UK & Ireland Tour); Babes in Arms (Ye Olde Rose & Crown Theatre).

Television includes: The Five (Sky One); Vodafone Commercial (Knucklehead); 3M Command Commercial (STINK).

Music videos include: Toddla T, Aitch (feat. TAET) – Hide N Seek, ENNY – Charge It

Trained at: Arden School of Theatre

Yana Penrose

Khamba

Yana trained at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts.

Theatre credits include: The Magic Flute (Glyndebourne Opera House), Animal Farm (UK Tour) 101 Dalmatians and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), An Enemy of the People (UK Tour), A Christmas Carol (Storyhouse, Chester), How Love Is Spelt (Southwark Playhouse), Emily Rising (Little Angel Theatre), The Ballad of Rudy (Royal Exchange, Manchester) and Jack (Derby Theatre).

Film and Television credits include: Rose Of Nevada (Film4), The Case Against Space (Local Vertical Films) and Humans (Channel 4).

Helena Pipe

Edith Sikelo

Television credits include: Queenie (Channel 4).

Theatre credits include: Noughts & Crosses (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Blues For An Alabama Sky (National Theatre); What Do You See? (The Pappy Show); In This World (Theatre For Young People); The Time Traveller’s Wife (Apollo Theatre); School of Rock (UK and Korea Tour); Nativity! The Musical (UK Tour); Oklahoma! (Grange Park Opera); Bare! A Pop Opera (Neptune Theatre); and The Color Purple (TROIKA Bermuda).

Creative Team

Richy Hughes

Book & Lyrics

Tim Sutton

Music & Lyrics

Lynette Linton

Director

Frankie Bradshaw

Set & Costume Designer

Shelley Maxwell

Choreographer

Oliver Fenwick

Lighting Designer

George Dennis

Sound Designer

Gino Ricardo Green

Video Designer

Cynthia De La Rosa

Wigs and Hair Designer

Liam Godwin

Musical Supervisor

Benjamin Kwasi Burrell

Orchestrator

Nick Barnes

Puppet Designer

Laura Cubitt

Puppetry Director

Kate Waters

Fight Director

George Harrison

Dramaturg

Wabriya King

Dramatherapist

Heather Basten CDG

Casting Director

Ashton Moore

Musical Director

Joel Trill

Voice and Dialect

TD Moyo

Associate Director

Owen Chaponda

Assistant Dramaturg

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Executive Producer

Accessible Performances & Tickets

Access Enquiries
Call us on 0330 333 5962 or email us at access@sohoplace.org.

Upcoming Performances:

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Adapted from / Based on the book by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer and Potboiler Productions film.

Photography and recording of any kind is strictly prohibited.