The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Richy Hughes & Tim Sutton, RSC, Swan, AD Performance | 07 March 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by Roderick Dungate

Photo credit: Tyler Fayose

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Richy Hughes & Tim Sutton

RSC, Swan, AD Performance | 07 March 2026

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by Roderick Dungate

Runs: 2 h 40 m, one interval, till

“Fine but flawed.”

There’s an awful lot going on in this play, so much that it’s sometimes difficult to work out where its focus is. Shame really, as it’s an important and powerful story. Set in Malawe, a young lad, William, with passion and intensity, overcomes poverty and ill-education, to create an irrigation system to enrich a people and an economy.

There is an enormously strong ensemble; singing and dancing are rich, committed and engaging. However, in most of the first half it is difficult to follow a narrative, William, the protagonist, gets lost within a dizzying tumult of relationships and side stories. The sound balancing could do with a bit of attention, too.

It’s not until the story moves towards the end of the first half that things quieten down. The story around William comes clearly to the fore and we begin our journey with William. Fortunately, the second half continues in this way. Movement, dance, singing, serve the narrative rather than becoming events in their own right. We are in William’s world now, head and, importantly, heart.

There are some fine songs and dancing. Tricky to pick them out as there is no list of songs in the programme. The African inspired music and dancing is invigorating. These sit comfortably with solo songs, often written in a traditional Western musical form. Strength is gained in these as they forward the narrative. Sticking in my memory, This I  Know, which ends the first half and a great duet in the second half between William’s mother (Madeline Appiah) and father (Sifiso Mazibuko)

Many excellent performances. In particular William (Alistair Mwachukwu) and his close friend, Gilbert (Idriss Kargbo); they create a warm relationship that reaches out into the auditorium and hugs us.

Director, Lynette Linton, keeps the action moving along and mostly serves writer and composer, Richie Hughes and Tim Sutton, well. However, it is a pity they could not, together, sort out the structural issues which mar this, potentially, lovely work.

Cast

William Kamkwamba – Alistair Nwachukwu

Trywell Kamkwamba – Sifiso Mazibuko

Agnes Kamkwamba – Madeline Appiah

Ammie Kamkwamba – Tsemeya – Bob-Egbe

Mike Kachigunda/Blessing – Owen Chaponda

Gilbert Mofat – Idriss Kargbo

Khamba – Yana Penrose

Chief Wimbe – McCallam Connell

Jeremiah Kamkwamba/Patience – Eddie Elliott

Mika Kamkwamba/Wind – Choolwe Laina Muntanga

Edith Sikelo – Helena Pipe

Mr Ofesi – Newtion Matthews

Charity/Hyena – Shaka Kalokoh

Mizeck – Tomi Ogbaro

Creatives

Original Authors – William Kamkwamba/Bryan Mealer/Potboiler Productions Film

Book & Lyrics – Richy Hughes

Music & Lyrics – Tim Sutton

Director – Lynette Linton

Sets & Costumes – Frankie Bradshaw

Choreographer – Shelly Maxwell

Lighting – Oliver Fenwick

Sound – George Dennis

Video – Gino Ricardo Green

Audio Describers – Angharad Mortimer & Ellie Packer