Esther’s Revenge at the Alma Tavern Theatre
Paw Studios Africa brings Brighton Fringe Winner to Bristol theatre
A play based on the true story of a social injustice in the 1950s, will bring Bristol audiences into an interactive courtroom experience. Come the end, the audience will decide the fate of a Black woman alleged to have murdered a white man in 1953 Lagos.
Photography – Diensen Pamben
The play is Esther’s Revenge. It’s from PawStudios Africa and written by Kenneth Uphopho.
The experiential two-hander play is based on the experience of Esther Ada Johnson. Esther fell in love with Mark Hall, a Colonial Railway Worker. Having understood that they were to marry, she lent Hall £400 – her life savings – for when he returned home to England on leave. But whilst he was there, he betrayed her and married an English woman. The £400 was used for her to start a business.
When returning to Johnson – back in 1953 – and explaining this, she was alleged to have murdered him.
Johnson was tried and convicted in 1956 and sentenced to death. She remained on Death Row in Broad Street Prison in Lagos – which is now a memorial and leisure park called Freedom Park.
Esther’s sentence was later reduced to life imprisonment. But, in 1961, on the first anniversary of Nigeria’s independence, Governor-General Nnamdi Azikiwe pardoned Esther Johnson entirely.
The play delves into the true life events in 1953, exploring themes of racial discrimination, gender-based violence, sexual abuse and injustice.
After hearing Esther’s story and The Warden explaining how the law should be applied to the case, the final verdict is thrown over for the audience to decide.
The nature of the show means that a different conclusion may be drawn at the end of every single performance.
In its development, Esther’s Revenge was the curated play for case study at the Lagos Fringe & Abuja Fringe. This targets creatives wishing to take work on tour and develop new audiences.
In 2020, it went on to win the spirit of the fringe awards at the Lagos Fringe, powered by the US Consulate Lagos through the PAS grants.
The play also won the Brighton Fringe 2023 International Bursary when it was presented as part of the Abuja Fringe 2022. Following this, it then went on two-week residency at the Brighton Fringe in 2023, winning the Brighton International Fringe Encore Series 2023/2024.
The play is now out on a UK tour, coming to Bristol this July.
Esther’s Revenge is at the Alma Tavern Theatre from 04 – 06 July 2025
For more information or to book, visit: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/almatheatrecompany/1733687
Cast and Creatives
Esther Ada Johnson – Bola Stephen-Atitebi
The Warder – Kenneth Uphopho
Writer and Director – Kenneth Uphopho
Producer – Temitope Sanni
Production Manager – Omotola Ibeh
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