AN EVENING WITH AN IMMIGRANT Comes to Queen Elizabeth Hall
The performance will be enhanced by Laura Mvula's live score and the Chineke! Orchestra.
By: Stephi Wild Jan. 27, 2026
An Evening with an Immigrant is an acclaimed solo show written and performed by Inua Ellams; this new version features a breathtaking original score composed by Laura Mvula and performed live by Chineke! Orchestra. The performance is on Sunday 26 April at 7.30pm at Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Born to a Muslim father and a Christian mother in what is now considered by many to be Boko Haram territory, in 1996 award-winning poet and playwright Inua Ellams left Nigeria for England aged 12, moved to Ireland for three years, before returning to London and starting work as a writer and graphic designer.
Littered with poems, stories and anecdotes, Inua tells his ridiculous, fantastic, poignant immigrant-story of escaping fundamentalist Islam, performing solo shows at The National Theatre, and drinking wine with the Queen of England, all the while without a country to belong to or place to call home. In this exciting new collaboration, Inua's performance is interwoven with Laura's rich, expansive score, transporting audiences on a journey around and out of this world.
Inua Ellams said: 'With the world premiere of the orchestral version of An Evening with an Immigrant I'm trying to reach new audiences to affect change in immigration rhetoric and government policies. I'm thrilled to be working with Laura Mvula, whose songs have soundtracked the first decade of the show; collaborating with her to create a new iteration is exciting and new for both of us. She is phenomenal - a generational talent, and I am humbled by her range, heart, ambition and drive.'
Laura Mvula said: 'It's been really exciting for me to approach An Evening with an Immigrant as a composer responding to Inua's beautiful poetry, it's a collaboration and process that really resonates with me.
In An Evening with an Immigrant, Inua has managed to voice so many stories in his unique, poignant and critically important style.
It's a pleasure to create music that both deepens and highlights the show's incisive, urgent and bold words.'
Kate McGrath, Artistic Director & CEO of Fuel said: '10 years on from the premiere of Inua Ellams' powerful personal story of his experience of migration, its message and call for change is sadly no less urgent. Fuel is thrilled that Laura Mvula has accepted our commission to create an orchestral score for the extraordinary Chineke! Orchestra to perform with Inua, and to be presenting the premiere of this new work with Southbank Centre at Multitudes and in partnership once again with Choose Love. We look forward to welcoming audiences to this very special event.'
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