Sheffield theatre company secures new world tour

A theatre company is preparing to take one of its most powerful productions on a new world tour.

Roots Mbili Theatre, founded in Sheffield just four years ago, has secured international dates for Far Gone, a drama that follows a young boy’s harrowing journey from innocence to life as a child soldier in Northern Uganda.

The company was created by Ugandan-born writer, actor and director John Rwothomack, alongside creative producer Sam Holland and digital director Smart Banda, with a mission to platform unheard stories and artists from across different cultures.

John, pictured below, who wrote Far Gone, inspired by his real-life experience of nearly being kidnapped by the Lord’s Resistance Army, aged eight, said: “As an artist, it’s one thing to work internationally. 

“To tour your own work globally feels incredibly special.

“We are humbled to take this important piece of work across four continents.

“I hope the heartbreaking story will resonate with audiences around the world, and new or returning audiences in Sheffield too.”

Far Gone will return to Sheffield Theatres from September 17 for five homecoming performances, before embarking on a global run that includes stops in the UK, America, Taiwan and South Africa. 

The play, directed by Nigerian theatre-maker Mojisola Kareem, uses humour, poetry and physical theatre to explore the devastating impact of war and abduction on children.

John added: “I made a promise to myself that I would tell this story one day. 

“These guerrilla groups and child kidnappings are still a reality around the world; we have to show that in a truthful way.

“When I finished training as an actor, I thought the UK’s theatre scene was not set up to represent my voice, nor that of many others.

“So, I knew if I wanted to be truly heard, I would have to build a space to do it.

“At Roots Mbili Theatre, we are dedicated to pinpointing views and stories that are not on the radar of theatre to give them the platform they deserve.”

The production has already won critical acclaim, earning five-star reviews during a national tour in 2022, and will now feature new, never-before-seen sections for international audiences. 

It follows on from the company’s success with Lines, which was performed at New York’s La Mama Theatre in 2024.

The upcoming schedule will see Far Gone performed at Manchester’s Lowry, Kansas City’s Warwick Theatre, Taiwan’s Dadaocheng International Arts Festival and Tainan Arts Museum, before reaching The Baxter Theatre Centre and Joburg Theatre, in South Africa. 

The tour will conclude in London, in March 2026.

The international expansion has been made possible with support from Arts Council England and builds on Roots Mbili’s growing reputation for telling bold and important stories from Africa and the African diaspora.

Tickets for the Sheffield performances can be booked here.

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