Grandad Anansi (2022)

White Horse Road
29 Sep - 30 Oct 2022
Age range: 4-9
  • Co-production Half Moon and Z-Arts
  • by Elayne Ogbeta

Abi and her Grandad tell each other Anansi folktales. They play games as they work together in the garden among the beautiful flowers and tasty vegetables. As they plant memories, they share secrets and develop a bond that nothing can break.

Grandad is as smart and mischievous as the wily Anansi legend, a part human, part spider and the subject of many West African and Caribbean folk stories. Can he find a way to tell his granddaughter about his plans to return to Jamaica, his beloved homeland?

Join our intrepid characters as they step into the unexpected in this humorous and heartfelt inter-generational adventure. With captivating songs and joyous dancing, Grandad Anansi is an uplifting tale of love, courage and letting go that celebrates storytelling and shines a light on Jamaican culture and the Windrush generation.

Written by award-winning children’s author Elayne Ogbeta, Grandad Anansi was a co-production from Half Moon and Z-arts, the award-winning team behind Dust, winner of the 2022 Off West End Theatre Award for Best Theatre for Children Aged 5-11.

This piece was developed in partnership with the African Caribbean Care Group and schools in Hulme, Manchester.

Grandad Anansi toured to 29 venues including libraries in September and October 2022 and was part of the Black History Month celebrations.

In December 2023 Grandad Anansi won BEST PERFORMANCE at the Manchester Culture Awards 2023.

You can access the script of this play via the British Library’s MPS Modern Playscripts Collection. This play is also listed on the National Theatre’s Black Plays Archive.

Production photos

Cast List

  • Jazmine Wilkinson Abi
  • Marcus Hercules Grandad

Creative Team

Marketing

Design

Rehearsal photos

Press and audience comments

Video interviews with the cast and production team

Miscellaneous and on tour

Interview with Elayne Ogbeta

R&D phase

A script extract from the R&D phase of Grandad Anansi

Interview with Marcus Hercules

Script extract

Thanks

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