Barber Shop Chronicles

Born in Nigeria, Inua Ellams is a cross-art-form practitioner, a poet, playwright, performer, graphic artist, designer and founder of the Midnight Run–a nocturnal urban excursion. He is a Complete Works poet alumni and a designer at White Space Creative Agency. Inua’s previous plays at the National include The 14th Tale (Fringe First award) and Black T-Shirt Collection. Other plays include Knight Watch at Greenwich + Docklands Festival; Cape at the Unicorn; Three Sisters at the National Theatre and The Half God of Rainfall at the Kiln Theatre. Radio plays include The Ballad of Abdul Hafiz and Wild Blood. He has published three five books poetry; Candy Coated Unicorns and Converse All Stars, Thirteen Fairy Negro Tales and The Wire-Headed Heathen, #Afterhours and The Actual.

This is an absolute cracker. Inua Ellams has the simple but ingenious idea of exploring black masculinity through the humble barber's shop... It's funny, fast, laced with music and dance, and performed with irresistible good humour and style... But deep down this is also a thoughtful, serious and moving piece of drama... he writes with zip and a wonderful ear, and the piece is beautifully woven.