Three Sisters

A co-production with Fuel

a new play by Inua Ellams
after Chekhov

3 December 2019 to 19 February 2020
Running Time: 3 hours and 10 mins, inc. interval.

Lyttelton Theatre

Brimming with life. Enlightening and heart-breaking

Broadway World

Superb – proof that Inua Ellams is one of our most exciting playwrights

Daily Telegraph

Exuberant – a real crowd pleaser

Sunday Times

Startlingly vivid

Guardian

Revelatory – a new role for a great masterpiece

Financial Times

Detailed, thoughtful and feisty. Ellams gives the play absorbing new life

Daily Mail

Smart and sophisticated

WhatsOnStage

Incredibly powerful

The Stage

Three Sisters

Love and longing in 1960s Nigeria.

Owerri, 1967, on the brink of the Biafran Civil War. Lolo, Nne Chukwu and Udo are grieving the loss of their father. Months before, two ruthless military coups plunged the country into chaos. Fuelled by foreign intervention, the conflict encroaches on their provincial village, and the sisters long to return to their former home in Lagos.

Following his smash-hit Barber Shop Chronicles, Inua Ellams returns to the National Theatre with this heartbreaking retelling, directed by Nadia Fall (Home, Dara).

Please note: This production contains strobe lighting.

Originally commissioned by Metta Theatre

Production supported by Leila Maw Straus, Cockayne - Grants for the Arts and The London Community Foundation, Juliet de Baubigny and the Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater.

Talks and events
Surviving Biafra: A Nigerwife’s Story Tue 7 Jan, 6pm
Three Sisters Student Conference Fri 31 Jan, 10.30am
Exploring Three Sisters and Chekhov Fri 7 Feb, 2pm
Writer Inua Ellams and Director Nadia Fall Fri 7 Feb, 6pm
Actors in Conversation Fri 14 Feb, 3pm
Inua Ellams' (W)R.A.P Party Thu 20 Feb, 7.30pm

Three Sisters Production Gallery

Racheal Ofori (Udo) and Sarah Niles (Lolo) in Three Sisters — Racheal Ofori (Udo) and Sarah Niles (Lolo)
Photo by The Other Richard

Ronke Adekoluejo (Abosede) in Three Sisters — Ronke Adekoluejo (Abosede)
Photo by The Other Richard

Natalie Simpson (Nne Chukwu), Racheal Ofori (Udo) and Sarah Niles (Lolo) in Three Sisters — Natalie Simpson (Nne Chukwu), Racheal Ofori (Udo) and Sarah Niles (Lolo)
Photo by The Other Richard

Sarah Niles (Lolo), Racheal Ofori (Udo) and Natalie Simpson (Nne Chukwu) in Three Sisters — Sarah Niles (Lolo), Racheal Ofori (Udo) and Natalie Simpson (Nne Chukwu)
Photo by The Other Richard

Sule Rimi (Onyinyechukwu), Jonathan Ajayi (Igwe), Ken Nwosu (Ikemba) andPeter Bankole (Nmeri Ora) in Three Sisters — Sule Rimi (Onyinyechukwu), Jonathan Ajayi (Igwe), Ken Nwosu (Ikemba) and Peter Bankole (Nmeri Ora)
Photo by The Other Richard

The cast of Three Sisters standing on the verandah of a house — The cast
Photo by The Other Richard

Racheal Ofori (Udo) and Adedeji Adetayo (Chidi, Guitarist) on the verandah in Three Sisters — Racheal Ofori (Udo) and Adedeji Adetayo (Chidi, Guitarist)
Photo by The Other Richard

Anni Domingo (Nma) and Sarah Niles (Lolo) in Three Sisters — Anni Domingo (Nma) and Sarah Niles (Lolo)
Photo by The Other Richard

The cast of Three Sisters in darkness behind a rope curtain — The cast
Photo by The Other Richard

Three Sisters | Trailer

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Three Sisters | About the play

The cast of Three Sisters introduce Inua Ellams' stunning adaptation of Chekhov's masterpiece. Music by Femi Temowo.

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Three Sisters | Audience Reactions

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Three Sisters | Sisterhood in the play

Actors Sarah Niles, Racheal Ofori and Natalie Simpson talk about the importance of sisterhood in Inua Ellams' adaptation of Three Sisters. Music by Femi Temowo

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Three Sisters ticket prices and Access performances

Ticket prices
*£75, £55, £48, £42, £32, £15

Access Performances

Audio-described performances, for blind and visually impaired people:
Fri 31 January, 7.30pm
Sat 1 February, 2.15pm with a Touch Tour at 12.45pm

Captioned performances, for deaf or hard-of-hearing people:
Fri 3 January, 7.30pm
Tue 28 January, 7.30pm
Wed 29 January, 2.15pm

*Some of the best seats in the house are premium priced. They help to ensure we can continue to offer low price seats for all our productions; the National Theatre is a charity and only 17% government-funded. This year nearly 30% of our tickets are available for £20 or less.

Smart caption glasses

Smart caption glasses are a revolutionary new way for people with hearing loss to enjoy performances at the National Theatre. For the first time, service users can experience our productions, including this one, from any seat in any theatre.

Find out about smart caption glasses