Tiger Bay The Musical

Tiger Bay The Musical is a musical by Michael Williams (book and lyrics) and Daf James (music).

The original text

"The story is set in motion when Themba, a Zulu man who has tragically lost his wife and son during the Boer War, arrives in Cardiff's Tiger Bay. He finds work as a Donkeyman, hauling coal along the railway tracks, and meets Ianto, an orphan who has to live by his wits. Tiger Bay explores the universal themes of love and redemption. Some of the issues it examines, such as economic inequality and migrant labour, are especially pertinent in contemporary South Africa."

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

2017: Presented at Artscape Opera House (in May) by the Wales Millennium Centre, in collaboration with Cape Town Opera, directed by Melly Still, co-director Max Barton, musical director David Mahoney, lighting designer Joshua Carr, sound designer Christopher Shutt, choreography by Kenneth Tharp, associate choreographer Lungelo Ngamlana and designs by Anna Fleischle.

The cast included John Owen-Jones, Vikki Bebb, Noel Sullivan, Graeme Wicks, Luvo Tamba, Judy Ditchfield, Andrew Laubscher, Alexander Tops, Stephen Jubber and an ensemble of 15 children, selected from diverse communities throughout the Western Cape. The production, with some of the original cast members, was presented at the Donald Gordon Theatre at the Wales Millennium Centre in November.