Desert Chess

Event information

Desert Chess is a monodrama based on the true story of South African Stephen McGown, who set out on a bucket-list motorbike trip from London to Cape Town in 2011. In Mali he was captured by Al Qaeda and held for ransom in the Sahara for nearly six years. The play follows his story as recorded by Tudor Caradoc-Davies in Six Years with Al Qaeda, tracing how he changed and what he learned during his captivity.

Written by Mike van Graan, it stars Wessel Pretorius and is directed by Wolf Britz, with a soundscape by Philip Miller and visuals by Marcos Martins. Chess serves as a metaphor for the journey, and the play explores anxiety, resilience and self-discovery.

The age guide is 13 and over.