Meet Ntanda, the last born, it’s her birthday, she’s seventeen, and only wants to celebrate with the family. Meet Vera, a nurse, a mother and wife, she has had to give up a double-paid shift to be at her daughter’s birthday. Then there is Nelson, the husband, the father, once a successful businessman in Lusaka, now a care worker in Sheffield, navigating a life far removed from the one he built. And finally, Mulenga, a son and Engineer, the one who moved to the UK as a teenager and found his way through the system.
Like flies on the wall, we bear witness to one fateful night. A night that begins with a startling announcement and ends with truths that will unravel everything the family thought they knew.
Kubulaya - Away From Home is a bold new play examining the high rate of separation among sub-Saharan African couples who migrate to the UK. Infused with Zambian folk music and a blend of African and Western storytelling traditions, it delves into how culture, finance, and faith intersect to test the bonds of family and love.