Too Early For Birds is back with the 6th Edition of the critically acclaimed series of theatre productions based on Kenyan History.
Kenyan History has been scored and underscored by music. From when it was interwoven with every aspect of life, across all the nations and communities that are now counted as Kenyan, in precolonial times. To today when a doltish action by a government official can unwittingly turn a club banger into a protest song. We cannot be separated from our music. We punctuate everything with music. Music might be the only thing Kenyans agree on.
So it is only right that the Sixth Edition of Too Early For Birds focuses on the stories behind the tunes we are made of. A series of storytelling productions started in 2017, TEFB has made it its mission to do to history what hip-hop did to soul music. To dig through the crates, to sample it, to spin it, to flip it. Make it funky.
So far, the ‘Too Early For Birds’ series has told stories about iconic figures like Tom Mboya, Wangari Maathai and Timothy Njoya. We have shouted the names of unsung heroes like Field Marshal Muthoni wa Kirima, Otenyo Nyamaterere, Zarina Patel and The Nyayo House Survivors. Through their creative and unexpected perspective, the theatre group has reexamined what we know about people like Paul Ngei and why we did not know about William McMillan, or Alibhai Mulla Jevanjee, or the battles at Lumboka and Chetambe. Or why we can’t remember exactly what it was that Syokimau and Mekatilili did.
This Beats Edition promises to be yet another session filled with excellently curated, prepared and delivered stories. Performed by the finest actors in Nairobi. And since some of the legendary figures in Kenyan History are still alive, this looks to be one of the few instances where art blurs the border between the past and present.
The director and actors are yet to be announced, but we already know it has been written by a formidable team lead by the co-founders Ngartia and Abu Sense, accompanied by Mercy Mbithe, Paul Otieno, Anita Murage, Mosoti Gathogo, Victoria Kagichu, Valiant Waiyaki, and Meera Damji.
Executive Produced by Story Zetu, this edition is built on the foundation they have laid with the past editions of Too Early For Birds. Sixth Edition of Too Early For Birds focuses on the stories behind the tunes we are made of.
This edition tells stories from the history of Kenyan music. There will be two shows each day on 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th April 2020 at Visa Oshwal Community Center, Nairobi, Kenya.
Tickets are available here .
