Credit: Paul Sanders
By Grace Hatchell 2nd Act Couriers
This one nearly slipped past me.
It arrived wrapped in bunting and craft tables, labelled “family fun” and nudged gently towards the pile marked half-term. I was halfway to filing it away when something caught my eye — not glitter, not glue sticks, but a proper piece of theatre hiding in plain sight.
Tucked inside Woolwich Works’ February programme is Throne of Ashes: Ìkú Bàbá Yèyé, landing in the Fireworks Factory for two nights only. And this is not background noise.
Performed in English and featuring major Nollywood actors Femi Branch and Ibrahim Chatta, Throne of Ashes throws us into the intrigue, rivalries and grandeur of the Oyo Empire at the height of its power. It’s epic in scope, unapologetically dramatic, and rooted in African history that rarely gets this kind of space on a London stage.
What struck me — once I’d fished it out of the envelope — is how easily this production could be overlooked if you weren’t looking carefully. It’s not shouting. It’s not wrapped in West End gloss. It’s sitting quietly inside a broader programme, waiting for the right audience to clock it.
And that feels very Theatre Village.
This is theatre as cultural exchange, not novelty. A story of power, legacy and consequence, told through performance rather than explanation. The kind of show that doesn’t need dressing up as an “experience” because the drama does the heavy lifting.
The performances take place on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 February at Woolwich Works, a space that often blurs the line between community hub and performance venue — which might explain how something this weighty ended up sharing a leaflet with craft afternoons and ballet bees.
Those events are there too, of course. Lunar New Year celebrations, workshops, youth orchestra concerts — all worthwhile in their own lanes. But this parcel? This one’s addressed firmly to theatre-goers.
Sometimes the most interesting deliveries aren’t the loudest ones.
They’re the ones you have to notice.
Tickets and information for all shows are available here.
LISTINGS
TITLE: LONDON LUNAR NEW YEAR FAIR — YEAR OF THE HORSE 2026
VENUE: WOOLWICH WORKS (SITE-WIDE)
DATES: SATURDAY 7 – SUNDAY 8 FEBRUARY
TIME: 12PM – 5.30PM
TICKETS: STANDARD £1.50 (PRE-ORDER), £3.00 (ON THE DOOR) | CHILDREN UNDER 12 FREE WITH TICKET
AGES: ALL AGES (CHILDREN MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT)
TITLE: THE VERY BUSY BUMBLEBEE
VENUE: ROPEKEEPERS STUDIO
DATES: SATURDAY 14 FEBRUARY
TIME: VARIOUS PERFORMANCE TIMES
TICKETS: £11.50 | FAMILY OFFER: 4 TICKETS FOR £28 | BABIES UNDER 12 MONTHS FREE
AGES: ALL AGES (ESPECIALLY SUITABLE FOR 0–8s)
TITLE: SPRING CRAFTERNOON: PAPER TULIPS
VENUE: WORKERS’ BAR
DATES: MONDAY 16 FEBRUARY
TIME: 2PM, 3PM, 4PM
TICKETS: DONATIONS WELCOME
AGES: ALL AGES (CHILDREN MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT)
TITLE: SPRING CRAFTERNOON: PAPER CHAIN CATERPILLARS
VENUE: WORKERS’ BAR
DATES: TUESDAY 17 FEBRUARY
TIME: 2PM, 3PM, 4PM
TICKETS: DONATIONS WELCOME
AGES: ALL AGES (CHILDREN MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT)
TITLE: SPRING CRAFTERNOON: SUN PAPER PLATE CRAFT
VENUE: WORKERS’ BAR
DATES: WEDNESDAY 18 FEBRUARY
TIME: 2PM, 3PM, 4PM
TICKETS: DONATIONS WELCOME
AGES: ALL AGES (CHILDREN MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT)
TITLE: SPRING CRAFTERNOON: TISSUE PAPER BUTTERFLIES
VENUE: WORKERS’ BAR
DATES: THURSDAY 19 FEBRUARY
TIME: 2PM, 3PM, 4PM
TICKETS: DONATIONS WELCOME
AGES: ALL AGES (CHILDREN MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT)
TITLE: CHINEKE! JUNIOR ORCHESTRA SPRING PERFORMANCE
VENUE: FIREWORKS FACTORY
DATES: SUNDAY 22 FEBRUARY
TIME: 2PM (DOORS 1.30PM)
TICKETS: FREE (BOOKING REQUIRED)
AGES: ALL AGES (CHILDREN MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT)
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