'The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind' review — this wonderfully uplifting new musical tells a timely story of hope and resilience

Read our review of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, now in performances at @sohoplace to 18 July.

Summary

• New musical The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind comes to @sohoplace
• The show is based on the true story of teenage inventor William Kamkwamba
• This uplifting production immerses audiences in the sights and sounds of Malawi
• The excellent cast includes Alistair Nwachukwu as William

Teenagers often get a bad press, but it would be hard to imagine a more inspiring role model than 13-year-old William Kamkwamba, whose ingenuity and determination during the Malawian famine of 2001 inspired the Royal Shakespeare Company’s new musical The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.

When his rural village of Wimbe was devastated by drought and famine, the self-taught young engineer became convinced he could build a windmill capable of bringing electricity and irrigation to the community. Despite being expelled from school after his family could no longer afford the fees, and being told by family and friends alike that he was an idiot to even contemplate such a project, William devoured library books and scavenged parts from a local scrapyard for his potentially life-saving creation.

Subsequently adapted into a memoir and a 2019 film, William’s story has now become a brand-new British musical arriving in the West End following a run at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. One of the most striking things about this uplifting and heartwarming production is the way audiences are immersed in the sights and sounds of Malawi from the moment they enter the auditorium. From the onstage percussionists to the women’s ululations, combined with choral harmonies and more traditional musical theatre influences, the score is integral to the storytelling throughout.

Bringing these different threads together could easily have resulted in a stylistic hotchpotch, but Richy Hughes (book and lyrics) and Tim Sutton (music and lyrics) maintain an impressive musical flow, balancing the shifting tone skilfully even as events grow darker in Act II. Director Lynette Linton creates a potent sense of community within the intimacy of @sohoplace’s thrust-stage auditorium, inviting the audience into the heart of the story. From the opening scene, in which performers introduce themselves directly to the crowd, it feels as though we experience events within the embrace of the company rather than simply observing from the sidelines.

Shelley Maxwell’s exuberant choreography, performed with infectious energy by the ensemble, plays a major role in the success of Linton’s vision, while designer Frankie Bradshaw avoids cluttering the stage with large set pieces, instead using colour, texture and smaller wooden structures to evoke village life. Oliver Fenwick’s lighting and Gino Ricardo Green’s video design add considerable atmosphere as the climate deteriorates.

At the heart of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is the Kamkwamba family, with Agnes (Madeline Appiah) and Trywell (Sifiso Mazibuko) striving to educate their children William (Alistair Nwachukwu) and Annie (Tsemaye Bob-Egbe) while wrestling with the pull of traditional expectations. The emotional dynamic between William and his father proves particularly touching, and Nwachukwu gives an engaging central performance.

Elsewhere, the ever-versatile Idriss Kargbo impresses as William’s best friend Gilbert, and Choolwe Laina Muntanga is remarkable as the Wind, combining striking movement with powerful vocals. Last but not least, it would be impossible not to mention the role puppetry plays in the piece, particularly Yana Penrose’s hugely engaging work as the stray dog Khamba who becomes William’s loyal companion.

The only issue is the sprawling nature of the libretto at times, particularly in Act I. While some scenes flesh out village life and characterisation effectively, they do not always feel essential to the central narrative, occasionally causing the production to lose focus. Nevertheless, this wonderfully immersive musical remains an inspiring and timely story of hope, resilience and resourcefulness, reminding us that “a journey achieved in one step is no journey at all”.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is at @sohoplace to 18 July. Book The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Photos by Tyler Fayose)