Lucian Msamati Leads Cast for The Afronauts at Royal Court
Lucian Msamati will lead the world premiere of The Afronauts at the Royal Court Theatre in London.
The Royal Court announced the full cast on 30 September for the new play, which runs from 14 November to 19 December 2026. Press night is on 23 November, according to details published by WhatsOnStage.
Msamati will play Edward. He is joined by Ama Qamata as Matha, Ivanno Jeremiah as Simon, Chomba S. Taulo as Ben and Munashe Chirisa as Cheelo. Pamela Nomvete plays Grace, Lukwesa Mwamba plays Liji and Prince Kundai plays David.
The play is set in Zambia in 1964. It tells the true(ish) story of the Zambian Space Program, the short-lived bid to send Zambians into space after independence.
The Afronauts is written by Ryan Calais Cameron. A world premiere means this is its first staging anywhere. Cameron also co-directs with Monique Touko.
Cameron is an associate playwright at the Royal Court and a Sky Arts Award winner. His previous plays include For Black Boys and Retrograde. Touko's directing credits include G, Jaja's African Hair Braiding, and Marie and Rosetta, listed by the Royal Court.
The production is the final show in the Royal Court's 70th anniversary programme. It is presented as part of Genesis Next Generation, a Royal Court project supported by the Genesis Foundation to back new artists and new work.
What makes this stand out is the history at its centre. Zambia's space effort is little known outside the country. The Royal Court describes the show as a love letter to the dreamers history forgot.
