Following on from the success of Death and The King’s Horseman, we are delighted to announce our latest co-production, Crown of Blood, with Sheffield Theatres, opening at The Crucible in February 2026.
"Of what use is a good man without ambition?"
Set during the civil wars of 19th-century Yorubaland, Crown of Blood is a powerful retelling of the classic Macbeth, adapted by Oladipo Agboluaje and directed by Utopia Theatres’ own Mojisola Kareem (Death and The King’s Horseman, Here’s What She Said To Me, All Our Goals). It’s Shakespeare as you’ve never seen it before.
The play follows the story of General Aderemi. Fresh from saving the kingdom from invaders, he is promoted to Field Marshall, thus fulfilling the prophecy of the oracle. When the oracle says he will become King, Aderemi and his wife Oyebisi go on a bloody mission to ensure he sits on the throne.
2026 Performance Dates: Sheffield Theatres, The Crucible
- Mon 2 February - 7pm
- Tue 3 February - 7pm
- Wed 4 February - 7.15pm
- Thu 5 February - 2pm
- Thu 5 February - 7.15pm
- Fri 6 February - 7.15pm (Audio Described, Signed)
- Sat 7 February - 2pm (Captioned)
- Sat 7 February - 7.15pm
Meet the Creatives
Oladipo Agboluaje
Playwright
Mojisola Kareem
Director
Kevin Jenkins
Designer
Ben Wright
Movement Director
Rob Hart
Sound Designer
Alexandra Stafford
Lighting Designer
Kayefi Osha
Co-composer and Musical Director
Mo Korede
Assistant Director
Discover our Education Pack
for schools and education.
Learn all about the creative processes of designing and directing a large-scale production like Crown of Blood, the background of the playwright Oladipo Agboluaje, and take an in-depth look at some of the complex themes portrayed on the stage.
We also offer a series of educational workshops at our Creative Hub for young people. You can view our full workshop guide here.
Our Education Pack (coming soon) for schools features a comprehensive Learning Guide, interviews with the Creatives and a whole host of additional resources to support your learning.
We have a number of discounted tickets available for schools and educational organisations. If you would like to make a booking for your group to come and see the show, or for further education enquiries, please contact learning@utopiatheatre.co.uk.
Crown of Blood R&D at National Theatre, London
Developed in support of National Theatres’ Generate Programme, our Crown of Blood R&D week in London was an unforgettable experience. Check out these beautiful images captured by photographer Anthony Robling.
We were joined by friends of Utopia who are committed to furthering the development of our ongoing creative work around this project and we are forever grateful for their support. From creatives, to actors, to Sheffield Theatres and Utopia staff behind the scenes- every single person made a contribution to bringing Crown of Blood to life.
