Nathan Gaël York tells us about Black Men Walking
Received with great critical acclaim when it was first performed at the Royal Court Theatre in 2018, Black Men Walking tells the story of a group of Black men hiking across the Peak District. This month a brand new production directed by Nathan Gaël York comes to the Tower Theatre and we were thrilled to get a chance to ask him all about it.
Hi Nathan. Thanks so much for talking to us today about Black Men Walking. How did you come across the play initially, and why did you want to direct it?
I had known of Black Men Walking for a while, but it was the Tower Theatre that really brought the play to me. When I finally read it, I realised how relevant and powerful it is, and I fell in love with the characters straight away. At that point I had been taking a break from directing, so when Amanda [Waggott], the Artistic Director of the Tower, offered me the chance to return with this production, it felt like exactly the right project to step back into the rehearsal room.
For me, this play offers something theatre doesn’t always manage: a deeply political story told with beauty, humour and imagination. It felt like the right moment to bring those voices back into the room and explore them afresh with a new cast.
It sounds such a simple premise – three men on a hike. Can you tell us a little about the story and the themes it engages with?
At its heart, it is about three Black men setting out on what seems like an ordinary hike across the Peaks. But the walk becomes a journey into history, memory and identity, calling up the ancestors who walked this land before them. It is about friendship and belonging, but also about how the past is never really past. You are constantly aware of the deep roots of Black presence in Britain, stretching from Roman emperors to contemporary communities. And spoiler: there is a woman too.
What styles of performance have you drawn on when directing the show?
The play is written with a strong musicality, so we have leaned into rhythm and movement as much as spoken word. There are moments of naturalism where you feel like you are overhearing friends in conversation, but there are also sections that feel almost ritualistic, heightened, dreamlike, poetic. We are using light, haze and sound to draw audiences into that shifting landscape where everyday chat meets myth and memory.
Who are in the cast, and what do they each bring to the table?
We have got a brilliant cast bringing this story to life. Jonathan Ude plays Richard. He brings real emotional intensity and depth. Amanda Chinyanganya is Ayeesha, an actor and award-winning spoken word poet with sharp storytelling and authenticity. Akeem George is Matthew, a spoken word artist and actor whose rhythm and presence suit the play perfectly. And Kieron Mieres plays Thomas. With over a decade of stage experience, he brings warmth, charisma and humour. Together, they form an ensemble that is funny, moving and deeply connected to the themes of the play.
What audiences are you hoping the show will engage with? Is it just a story for men?
Not at all. While the story focuses on a group of Black men, the themes are universal: friendship, identity, belonging, and how we carry history with us. I want Black audiences to see themselves reflected and celebrated, but I also want wider audiences to be challenged and moved. It is about starting conversations across communities, across generations.
It’s been 7 years since the original production of this play. Why is now the time to see it again?
We are living in a moment where questions of identity, belonging and history are sharper than ever. The play feels even more urgent now than it did in 2018. Revisiting it at Tower Theatre allows us to look again at those questions with fresh eyes and new voices. It is a chance to remember that Black history in Britain is not a side note. It is part of the fabric of this country. And theatre is the perfect space to experience that truth together.
Thanks very much to Nathan for talking with us about this intriguing show. We’ll take steps to make sure we see it! Black Men Walking runs at the Tower Theatre from Tuesday 7-Saturday 11 October
