skip to main content

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

by August Wilson

25 January to 18 May 2016
Running Time: Approx 2hrs 35mins inc. one interval

Lyttelton Theatre

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.

Who was Ma Rainey?

Ma Rainey black-and-white photo

Photography (Sharon D Clarke) by Seamus Ryan