The House of Jollof Opera

A Music Theatre Wales and FIO co-production

A vegan Nigerian food pop-up served with a 15 minute hip-hop inspired opera.

Chef Adeola is feeling the heat, and we’re not talking pepper soup! With the pressures of a new business, a lockdown baby and an upcoming food safety inspection, how is our budding foodie entrepreneur going to cope?

The House of Jollof Opera is a live pop-up experience serving a Nigerian delicacy (100% vegan) in places of communal gathering across Wales, accompanied by a 15-minute hip-hop influenced operatic story. Take a journey in taste, aroma and rhythms in this one-of-a-kind show.

The show is written and performed by Welsh-Nigerian artist Tumi Williams and also stars acclaimed soprano Gweneth Ann Rand. Directed by Welsh-Indian Sita Thomas, The House of Jollof Opera is a true celebration of modern, multicultural Cymru. Based on a Celtic Film Award-winning short film by the same creators, The House of Jollof Opera was created to shake up and reshape conceptions of opera and live artistic performance as well as address inequities in access to art and culture.

A multidisciplinary artist, Tumi Williams’ first artistic love is music, working in a blend of styles including hip hip, Afro funk and jazz. He is also a chef and founder of Jollof House Party, a pop up serving vegan Nigerian food.

Dr Sita Thomas is a cultural leader and creator based in Cardiff. She is Artistic Director and CEO of Fio, a theatre and arts company that exists to create a significant positive shift in the Welsh cultural sector, supporting Global Majority people to thrive in the arts.

Choose 1 of 3 performances taking place during the day – at 1pm, 3pm or 6pm.

Pay what you can – BOOK HERE

Cast & Crew

Tumi Williams – Adeola: Chef
Gweneth Ann Rand – Sade: Food Inspector
Joe Beardwood and Laurence Collier – Musicians
Sita Thomas – Director
Jasmine Araujo – Design
Robert Fokkens – Composition Support
Tia Camilleri – Assistant Director
Elayce Ismail – Dramaturgical Support