By Joe Aura, aurajoe6@gmail.com
Since its debut in 2017, Too Early for Birds (TEFB) has grown into a cultural phenomenon in Kenya – consistently selling out venues and earning critical acclaim for its bold, innovative retelling of Kenyan history.
The production has positioned itself as a leader in Kenyan theatre, with recognition at the Kenya Theatre Awards and beyond. At the 2025 awards, the Tom Mboya Edition emerged as a major winner, taking home four awards, including Best Storytelling Production. Earlier, at the 2018 Sanaa Theatre Awards, TEFB secured Best Production, Best Play in English, and the Maya Angelou Award for its focus on women’s rights and GBV.
Each edition carries its own cultural weight.
The Tom Mboya Edition stood out for blending sharp historical research with humor and “Kenyanisms.” The Badassery Edition (February 2025) explored the colonial roots of Kenya’s police force across five successful shows. And now, the spotlight shifts.
Their newest edition focuses on Wangarĩ Maathai’s life (a.k.a “Shawry for Trees”)—rewriting her story not just as a historical figure, but as a woman navigating resistance, power, and survival.
I attended a press briefing at Jain Bhavan Auditorium on behalf of Involvement Newspaper, following an invitation from WhoWhatWhere Magazine. From a short skit and an engaging Q&A session, several things became clear.
First, the creative core behind this production is largely female – researched by Ngartia, Kĩmemia Macharia, Nyagũthiĩ A. Murage, Meran Randa and Mũthoni Mwangi.
The research behind the production draws from sources such as Maathai’s memoirs, The Challenge for Africa, and accounts documented by contemporaries like Tabitha. But beyond books, the storytelling leans into lived realities—moments that feel almost cinematic in their intensity.
The show is written by Abigail Arunga, Wacuka Mũngai, and Ras Mengesha, and is edited by Ndinda Kioko. This edition is produced by Sheba Hirst, with marketing led by Mũtwĩri Njagĩ.
As the Abigail Arunga, the head writer emphasized,“There is no revolution without women. It’s impossible.”
And that perspective shapes how the story is told.
From this play we will get to hear about encounters with state violence, being pursued and learning how to hide in places like Karura Forest, incidents of confrontation, including gates being rammed during moments of protest and other lived experiences like love that shaped a movement.
Many people who have watched a ‘Too Early for Birds’ play talk about its ability to draw parallels between past and present. The writers’ room is not only revisiting history but also interrogating it.
Viewers are advised to forget everything they told you about Wangarĩ Maathai’s story, that she was a wild uncontrollable. The production will address how she changed climate action and climate justice, indigenous knowledge and biodiversity, women in science and activism and the ongoing tension between state power and civic resistance A mirror to society.
To expand its reach beyond Nairobi, there are plans to have the production filmed in collaboration with Biodiversity Alliance, ensuring the story travels across counties and potentially beyond borders.
However, like many creative productions in Kenya, funding remains a major limitation, especially when it comes to touring locally and internationally.
However, in collaboration with mookh and who what where magazine and Story Zetu, Too Early for Birds has consistently sold out over 90% of its shows. Previous editions, such as the Tom Mboya series, have already proven the appetite for Kenyan audiences to engage with their own history.
Moreover, the briefing brought together a mix of activists, creatives, journalists, and cultural stakeholders. Among them was activist and presidential candidate Boniface Mwangi, alongside artists like Juliani, and a strong presence of women producers, writers, journalists, and feminists.
It is worth noting that the show is recommended for audiences 16 and above, due to its inclusion of strong language and depictions of violence.
Too Early for Birds: Wangarĩ Maathai
Jain Bhavan Auditorium, Nairobi
April 10–12, 2026
Tickets available via Mookh
#tuwatchplay
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/aura-joe-digitalproducer/recent-activity/articles/