Following its world premiere show at the Grand Opera House, Belfast, Terra Nova Productions are bringing their new play, ‘The Trumpet and The King’, to the Ardhowen Theatre on March 24.

The Trumpet and The King is the story of the boyhood friendship between Henry VIII (played by Sam Claridge) and John Blanke (Fejiro Emasiobi), Britain’s first named black artist.

At the end of 1501, John Blanke – a young black musician of exceptional talent – left the ancient city of Granada and made his way to the court of Henry VII. There he forged a surprising musical bond with the child who would become the infamous Henry VIII.

The play is the story of their imagined relationship, rooted in extensive historical research into the known facts, and the historic period.

The play moves between Limbo and the memories of John and Henry; shifting between an otherworldly place where the men meet as equals after 500 years, and the murky world of their past.

Their memories are emotionally charged, sometimes distorted, often contradictory, but also funny, heartfelt and poignant.

The world of the play spans Islamic and Christian Europe in the late 15th and early 16th Century, from the Alhambra in Muslim Granada to the Tudor Court.

Performed by two outstanding young actors, who effortlessly create all the characters of their Tudor world, The Trumpet and The King is a play about music, and belonging and friendship across religious and cultural divides.

This project is supported by Arts Council of Northern Ireland, The Leche Trust, the Community Relations Council and The Community Foundation.

Tickets can be purchased via the Ardhowen Theatre box office.

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