Review: The Last Black Messiah

📍 The Jack Studio Theatre

🗓️ 12th May 2026

Set in the 90s, this 80-minute two-hander from Emeka Agada takes the audience on a tense journey through revolution, identity and justice.

The story follows Dr Oko — a black revolutionary leader and former university professor — as he awaits execution. When he is visited by his former student Asante, now a journalist, we learn about his life and the decisions that led him to this point.

The set is rather simple: a table, two chairs and a box containing belongings. A camera points towards the table, capturing the conversations as they unfold. When we first meet Asante, he seems fairly innocent, as though he’s simply visiting an old friend. But as the play progresses, we realise there is more to his visit, and perhaps a bigger reason behind it.

The plot itself is intriguing and raises interesting questions over the course of the evening. There are twists and unexpected revelations that add great depth to the story.

The cast are strong and have wonderful chemistry. Emeka Agada as Dr Oko gives a wonderfully layered performance, moving between past and present with ease while navigating the character’s shifting emotions as the play progresses. 

The contrast between his life as a revolutionary leader and professor and the man he has become is striking, with Dr Oko now appearing much softer and uncertain whether he truly had the impact he hoped for. However, we see different sides to him scene by scene, and a later revelation leaves both Asante and the audience questioning what they should believe.

Kenneth Butler conveys Asante’s conflict well. At first, his performance seems awkward and robotic, but as the play progresses his demeanour begins to make more sense, and he handles that shift effectively. He captures Asante’s uncertainty as we learn more about his personal life, his struggle to adjust to fatherhood and the task in front of him within the room.

Voiceovers from Treci Agada add further layers to the piece, helping the audience discover more about Asante’s life.

The lighting is also used very effectively, helping to portray the shifts in timeline between flashbacks and present-day scenes. It adds to the drama of the piece and ensures the audience feels fully immersed in the story.

The play opens with a dramatic scene featuring sirens, flashing lights, screaming and someone dashing away to safety — pulling the audience in from the off. Moments towards the end are also similarly dramatic, bookending the piece well.

However, the play doesn’t quite live up to the expectations set in that opening scene. It is more restrained in comparison and is essentially a conversation between two men, supported by interesting twists throughout.

That said, it still poses important questions for both the characters and the audience and, despite being set in the 90s, its themes feel relevant today. While it doesn’t fully sustain the intensity promised at the start, it remains an engaging exploration of power and identity.