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Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

by August Wilson

To 18 May
Running Time: Approx 2hrs 35mins inc. one interval

Lyttelton Theatre

Dates and buy tickets

A marvellous revival. Exemplary and revelatory.

Daily Telegraph

A masterpiece. Breathtaking.

Sunday Times

A terrific revival. Sharon D Clarke leads a superb cast in this knockout production.

Observer

Drop-dead brilliant. A near perfect production.

Daily Express

Dominic Cooke’s excellent revival. August Wilson's blues still electrify in this landmark play

Guardian

A pitch-perfect, superbly acted production

Financial Times

Vital drama. Glorious

Evening Standard

Lively, truthful, beautifully performed.

The Times

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom production images

O-T Fagbenle and Giles Terera. Photo by Johan Persson. — O-T Fagbenle and Giles Terera.
Photo by Johan Persson

Lucian Msamati. Photo by Johan Persson. — Lucian Msamati
Photo by Johan Persson

O-T Fagbenle and Giles Terera in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom — O-T Fagbenle and Giles Terera
Photo by Johan Persson

Lucian Msamati, O-T Fagbenle and Giles Terera. Photo by Johan Persson. — Lucian Msamati, O-T Fagbenle and Giles Terera.
Photo by Johan Persson

Tunji Lucas and Sharon D Clarke. Photo by Johan Persson. — Tunji Lucas and Sharon D Clarke.
Photo by Johan Persson

Finbar Lynch. Photo by Johan Persson. — Finbar Lynch.
Photo by Johan Persson

Sharon D Clarke. Photo by Johan Persson. — Sharon D Clarke.
Photo by Johan Persson

Clint Dyer, O-T Fagbenle, Tunji Lucas and Giles Terera. Photo by Johan Persson. — Clint Dyer, O-T Fagbenle, Tunji Lucas and Giles Terera.
Photo by Johan Persson

Tamara Lawrance. Photo by Johan Persson. — Tamara Lawrance.
Photo by Johan Persson

O-T Fagbenle and Tamara Lawrence. Photo by Johan Persson. — O-T Fagbenle and Tamara Lawrence.
Photo by Johan Persson

Sharon D Clarke and Finbar Lynch. Photo by Johan Persson — Sharon D Clarke and Finbar Lynch.
Photo by Johan Persson

O-T Fagbenle, Clint Dyer, Sharon D Clarke and Finbar Lynch. Photo by Johan Persson. — O-T Fagbenle, Clint Dyer, Sharon D Clarke and Finbar Lynch.
Photo by Johan Persson

The Company of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Photo by Johan Persson. — The Company of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.
Photo by Johan Persson

Clint Dyer and Lucian Msamati. Photo by Johan Persson. — Clint Dyer and Lucian Msamati.
Photo by Johan Persson

Giles Terera, Clint Dyer and Lucian Msamati. Photo by Johan Persson — Giles Terera, Clint Dyer and Lucian Msamati.
Photo by Johan Persson

The Company of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Photo by Johan Persson. — The Company of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.
Photo by Johan Persson

O-T Fagbenle and Giles Terera. Photo by Johan Persson. — O-T Fagbenle and Giles Terera.
Photo by Johan Persson

Lucian Msamati. Photo by Johan Persson. — Lucian Msamati
Photo by Johan Persson

O-T Fagbenle and Giles Terera in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom — O-T Fagbenle and Giles Terera
Photo by Johan Persson

Lucian Msamati, O-T Fagbenle and Giles Terera. Photo by Johan Persson. — Lucian Msamati, O-T Fagbenle and Giles Terera.
Photo by Johan Persson

Tunji Lucas and Sharon D Clarke. Photo by Johan Persson. — Tunji Lucas and Sharon D Clarke.
Photo by Johan Persson

Finbar Lynch. Photo by Johan Persson. — Finbar Lynch.
Photo by Johan Persson

Sharon D Clarke. Photo by Johan Persson. — Sharon D Clarke.
Photo by Johan Persson

Clint Dyer, O-T Fagbenle, Tunji Lucas and Giles Terera. Photo by Johan Persson. — Clint Dyer, O-T Fagbenle, Tunji Lucas and Giles Terera.
Photo by Johan Persson

Tamara Lawrance. Photo by Johan Persson. — Tamara Lawrance.
Photo by Johan Persson

O-T Fagbenle and Tamara Lawrence. Photo by Johan Persson. — O-T Fagbenle and Tamara Lawrence.
Photo by Johan Persson

Sharon D Clarke and Finbar Lynch. Photo by Johan Persson — Sharon D Clarke and Finbar Lynch.
Photo by Johan Persson

O-T Fagbenle, Clint Dyer, Sharon D Clarke and Finbar Lynch. Photo by Johan Persson. — O-T Fagbenle, Clint Dyer, Sharon D Clarke and Finbar Lynch.
Photo by Johan Persson

The Company of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Photo by Johan Persson. — The Company of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.
Photo by Johan Persson

Clint Dyer and Lucian Msamati. Photo by Johan Persson. — Clint Dyer and Lucian Msamati.
Photo by Johan Persson

Giles Terera, Clint Dyer and Lucian Msamati. Photo by Johan Persson — Giles Terera, Clint Dyer and Lucian Msamati.
Photo by Johan Persson

The Company of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Photo by Johan Persson. — The Company of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.
Photo by Johan Persson

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Rehearsal images

Clint Dyer
Photo by
Johan Persson

Tamara Lawrance
Photo by
Johan Persson

Sharon D Clarke
Photo by
Johan Persson

Lucian Msamati
Photo by
Johan Persson

Lucian Msamati & Giles Terera
Photo by
Johan Persson

Clint Dyer
Photo by
Johan Persson

Finbar Lynch
Photo by
Johan Persson

Giles Terera
Photo by
Johan Persson

Lucian Msamati
Photo by
Johan Persson

O-T Fagbenle
Photo by
Johan Persson

Lucian Msamati & O-T Fagbenle
Photo by
Johan Persson

Giles Terera
Photo by
Johan Persson

Lucian Msamati
Photo by
Johan Persson

O-T Fagbenle
Photo by
Johan Persson

Sharon D Clarke
Photo by
Johan Persson

Tunji Lucas
Photo by
Johan Persson

Watch the trailer

Playing until 18 May 2016 in the Lyttelton Theatre.

'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' performed by Sharon D Clarke and band

Studio recording of the title track from the show

Dominic Cooke on Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

The director discusses his new production of August Wilson’s play, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, with Ola Animshawun.

Who was Ma Rainey?

Ma Rainey black-and-white photo

Photography (Sharon D Clarke) by Seamus Ryan