Straight off the bat with a warning to the sensitive, I don’t think I’ve heard the word “N*gger” used as much in the past decade as I did in just that first hour of this play! And it’s definitely “N*gger” and not ‘The N Word’. Strangely enough though, it’s with good reason. Tambo & Bones is a theatrical Molotov cocktail, tossed with a grin.
Dave Harris’s offering isn’t so much a narrative as it is a genre-bending, meta-theatrical experience that defies easy categorization. In short, It’s a minstrel show turned hip-hop concert turned dystopian nightmare, all performed with a wink and a challenge to the audience.
The play’s brilliance lies in its discomfort. Harris forces us to confront uncomfortable truths about race, representation, and the commodification of black pain. Just when you think you’ve settled into a scene, the play shifts, pulling the rug out from under you and demanding that you reconsider everything you’ve just witnessed.
Special Afridiziak shoutouts goes out to the whole cast – (the robot guys were both brilliant and scary,) but particularly Daniel Ward retaining his role from the 2023 production as Bones. He is a hilarious force of nature, charismatic and cunning, and also Clifford Samuel whose shrewd and compelling Tambo provides a necessary counterbalance, grounding the play in a simmering, righteous anger. The chemistry between the two is electric, driving the play’s infectious energy.
Matthew Xia‘s direction is audacious, seamlessly weaving together the play’s disparate elements. The design, by Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey and ULTZ, is equally bold, creating a visual landscape that is both jarring and captivating.
Tambo & Bones is not a play for the faint of heart. It’s provocative, confrontational, and at times, downright unsettling. But it’s also wickedly funny, intellectually stimulating, and ultimately, deeply rewarding. It’s a play that stays with you long after the curtain falls, leaving you questioning your own assumptions and complicities. Fully expecting this to gain cult status. Absolutely not to be missed.
NEEDT TO KNOW: Tambo & Bones runs at Stratford East until 10 May before heading to Leeds Playhouse | See listing
Related links
Matthew Xia – interview
Actors Touring Company Announce National Tour of Tambo & Bones in 2025
Tambo and Bones – 2023 review
Rhashan Stone and Daniel Ward | Tambo & Bones – Interview
