Award-Winning Solo Drama THE NIGHT ALI DIED Set for Canal Cafe Theatre Debut

The Night Ali Died, a gritty and twisting solo drama written and performed by 11-time award winning storyteller, Chris Sainton-Clark, arrives at Canal Cafe Theatre's stage on the 8-10 May after being spotted during its electric run at Colchester Fringe 2025.

The play follows Ali Clarke, an unassuming man who witnesses a grizzly murder and is placed under witness protection. Yet, despite death threats from a notorious gangster, Ali decides to leave his home, sparking a volatile chain reaction of betrayal, murder, theft and vengeance in his home city. Piece by piece and through the accounts of each key player, find out what happened on the night Ali died.

This show is the creation of Sainton-Clark who runs Raising Cain Productions, a theatre production company dedicated to creating high concept, bold and cinematic theatre on a small and easily tourable scale. Chris worked with dramaturg Rosanna Mallinson as his director to bring the script to life. Alongside her experience of training at Jacques Lecoq school of mime, Mallinson's physical theatre background paired with Sainton-Clark's naturalistic script, create a truly unique and immersive crime thriller set in the UK's gritty underworld.

Within its first year of touring, The Night Ali Died has already picked up five awards, including The Broadway Baby pick of the fringe award, The Prague Fringe 2025 Audience vote award and the Colchester Fringe National Pick award.