Mlima's Tale
Description
Continuing in her tradition of crafting thought-provoking, socially conscious dramas, Lynn Nottage’s play tells the story of Mlima, an elephant struck down by poachers for his magnificent tusks. Beginning in a game park in Kenya, the play tracks the trajectory of Mlima’s tusks through the ivory trade market while Mlima’s ghost follows close behind—marking all those complicit in his barbaric death.
Reviews
"Mlima’s Tale, a haunting drama about avarice and ivory, offers a dramatic reminder that the majestic beasts endure things no living creature would want to recall… This lacerating and lyrical play leaves a mark."
- Joe Dziemianowicz, New York Daily News
"Tightly crafted… Mlima’s Tale is dedicated to excavating the gnarly human details behind the assault on one of the planet’s most endangered animals."
- Sara Holdren, Vulture
"A beautiful, endlessly echoing portrait of a murder and its afterlife. Ms. Nottage shaped this story with such theatrical inventiveness and discipline that it never feels sensational… A finely wrought fusion of elements."
- Ben Brantley, New York Times
"An enthralling piece of theater that tells a fascinating story in a daringly original way… Riveting."
- Terry Teachout, Wall Street Journal
"Clear, uncluttered, and hard-hitting… A play of rare beauty, rare understanding, and great moral power."
- Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant