Sankofa: The Soldier’s Tale Retold at Harbourfront Theatre

Sankofa: The Soldier’s Tale Retold  reinvents Igor Stravinsky’s 1918 theatrical work L'Histoire du Soldat with a new libretto by poet Titilope Sonuga, directed by Tawiah M’Carthy. The award-winning cast features Diego Matamoros as Devil, Wade Bogert O'Brien as Devil understudy, Olaoluwa Fayokun as Soldier, and Ordena Stephens-Thompson as Narrator. A seven-piece ensemble of musicians from The Glenn Gould School will perform the score. 

Through the journey of a fictional soldier attempting to enlist in WWI, this Soldier's Tale is set against the historical context of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, the only Canadian battalion composed of Black soldiers to serve in the First World War. In a psychological battle with the Devil, the Soldier embodies the battalion’s resilience and enduring struggle against racism, discrimination and historical erasure. 

Sankofa: The Soldier’s Tale Retold is presented by Art of Time in association with The Royal Conservatory’s Glenn Gould School and Koffler Arts.

This is the final Art of Time Ensemble production, with only five performances on stage this fall.