MIMI’S SHEBEEN
Sadler’s Wells East
★★★★
“Seutin’s choreography is a masterful fusion of styles, crafting a vivid visual landscape”
Miriam ‘Mama Africa’ Makeba is a towering figure in the global struggle for Black liberation, yet surprisingly few theatrical productions explore her life. The UK premiere of ‘Mimi’s Shebeen’ marks a vital – and arguably overdue – addition, not simply paying tribute but igniting the stage with the passion and precision worthy of such a cultural icon.
Loosely based on Makeba’s life, ‘Mimi’s Shebeen’ is less biography and more evocative dreamscape set within a burnt out ‘shebeen’ – clandestine bars created by Black South Africans to seek refuge from apartheid’s oppressive racial laws and restrictions. Through a rich tapestry of song, music, spoken word and poetry, we trace her beginnings under South African apartheid through many decades of exile to her death in Italy. Makeba’s music and UN addresses are artfully reimagined to create powerful windows into her life which, though fragmented, connect past injustices to present-day struggles. Hope lights the way, though the powerful ending reminds us of its fragility.
Conceived by Alesandra Seutin with text by Lisette Ma Neza and Lebo Mashile, ‘Mimi’s Shebeen’ honours Makeba’s rich legacy through a kaleidoscope of languages, musical styles and movement vocabularies. It opens with a ferocious, aching rendition of ‘Nomeva’, delivered as ‘Mimi’ towers over the ashes of her raided shebeen. The first half pulses with intensity, with iconic songs such as ‘A Piece of Ground’ and ‘Malaika’ reborn as raw, aching laments. Contemporary recordings deepen the immersion, transporting us to the heart of apartheid-era South Africa. The second half offers a brighter tonal palette and more itinerant narrative arc. While this lets in hope, it also feels less cohesive. The symbolism of the bicycle – referencing Black migrants in the town where Makeba died – only becomes clear in a post-show talk, potentially leaving some motifs unresolved. Still, it never loses its emotional grip, resonating with Makeba’s enduring voice.
Seutin’s choreography is a masterful fusion of styles, crafting a vivid visual landscape. Each movement resonates with intention and the full spectrum of human emotion, which the cast delivers with striking precision.
Angelo Moustapha’s music and Hans Mullens’ sound design breathe new life into every song and sample, stripping away any mainstream sanitisation. Their ambient and synth soundscapes expertly build and release tension. Yet the most powerful moments are when the cast raises their voices in completely unaccompanied harmony, filling the auditorium with a powerful affirmation of the right to simply be.
The staging by Stef Stessel and Ine Van Bortel is strikingly effective. Deflated black, bin-bag-like structures slowly unfurl skyward, abstract shapes becoming increasingly human until the conjure the ghosts of possible lynchings. Though their elongated silhouettes obstruct sightlines and might benefit from a little reconfiguration. As the performance unfolds, the structures lift mostly out of view – perhaps a metaphor for overcoming past violence. Yet the stage feels a little bare and their absence blurs the boundaries of the shebeen.
Caroline Fainke’s costume design is visually expressive, unifying the aesthetic while allowing individuals to shine. Most arresting is Mimi’s towering form in the opening scene, crowned with Makeba’s iconic cylindrical hat. Margareta Andersen and Stef Stessel’s lighting design is richly atmospheric, creating stunning effects with shadow as much as with light. Diederik De Cock’s sound design makes the onstage band sing, layering the space with resonant bass which gives the music a deeply physical quality.
The cast (Tutu Puoane, Nandi Bhebhe, Kopano Maroga, Nosiphiwo Samente, Kenza Deba, Rose Sall Sao) is phenomenal, landing every movement, note, and gesture with thrilling intensity and creating infectious collective energy. While the whole cast should be congratulated, Puoane’s ‘Mimi’ leads the way, as commanding as she is vulnerable.
‘Mimi’s Shebeen’ is a powerful, stirring tribute to a woman whose voice reverberated across continents, honouring Makeba’s legacy while urgently speaking to the present.
MIMI’S SHEBEEN
Sadler’s Wells East
Reviewed on 22nd October 2025
by Hannah Bothelton
Photography by Danny Willems
Previously reviewed at Sadler’s Wells’ venues:
THE MACHINE OF HORIZONTAL DREAMS | ★★★ | October 2025
PRISM | ★★★★★ | October 2025
A DECADE IN MOTION | ★★★★★ | September 2025
SHAW VS CHEKHOV | ★★★ | August 2025
PEAKY BLINDERS: RAMBERT’S THE REDEMPTION OF THOMAS SHELBY | ★★★★ | August 2025
SINBAD THE SAILOR | ★★★★★ | July 2025
R.O.S.E. | ★★★★★ | July 2025
QUADROPHENIA, A MOD BALLET | ★★★★★ | June 2025
INSIDE GIOVANNI’S ROOM | ★★★★★ | June 2025
ALICE | ★★★★ | May 2025
