We chatted to Obioma about starring as the narrator of the Book Thief which will play at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry from the 11th to the 16th September and Leicester’s Curve Theatre from the 29th September until the 14th October.
What can audiences expect from this stage adaptation of The Book Thief? The story of a young girl’s resilience in 1940’s Germany and how she finds light in the darkness set to a gorgeous score with inventive choreography that will both shock and warm the hearts of the audience.
What was it that made you want to be part of this production? There is a lot of conversation about the most marginalised in our society at the moment and unfortunately this show is an all too timely reminder of the potency of words and the care we must take with them. We get to decide the kind of society we live in and this show is a clarion call of compassion. That’s the kind of work I would like to make.
How would you describe the show to someone who is going to see it for the first time? The Book Thief is a life affirming story about writing love over hatred and a tender exploration of childhood and how we raise the next generation.
What do you think or hope that audiences will take away from The Book Thief? The past is there to inform our present about how we move into our future. This is the story of ordinary people just like us and that we should always be mindful of the danger of people who want to turn us against each other as no person is an island and we’re always stronger all together.
By Emma Clarendon
To find out more about the musical adaptation of The Book Thief visit: https://www.thebookthiefmusical.com/