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This production is recommended for ages 6+.
Performance dates
25 April - 18th July 2026
Run time: 2hrs 30mins
Includes interval
Based on the international best-selling memoir, this bold and uplifting new musical tells the extraordinary true story of William Kamkwamba.
In drought-stricken Malawi, a 13-year-old boy dreams of saving his village. Nobody believes he can – not his father, his friends, nor his community. As crops fail and hope runs dry, William finds inspiration in scraps of old machinery and a handful of library books. What he lacks in resources, he makes up for in determination, grit and imagination, and a windmill begins to take shape. Can William defy expectations and harness the power of the wind to bring energy, life, and hope to his people?
Chiwetel Ejiofor, who wrote, directed, and starred in the 2019 film joins the West End production as Executive Producer.
Adapted from William Kamkwamba’s memoir and Ejiofor’s film, this West End premiere transfers directly from Stratford-upon-Avon, directed by Lynette Linton (Shifters, Sweat, Intimate Apparel, Blues for an Alabama Sky), formerly Artistic Director of the Bush Theatre, with book and lyrics by Richy Hughes (Superhero) and music and lyrics by Tim Sutton (Restless Natives, RSC’s The Merry Wives of Windsor).
A celebration of human ingenuity and the courage to dream in the face of impossible odds, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is a powerful story where imagination brings hope for tomorrow.
Humanity finds its power @sohoplace Spring 2026.
A new West End musical tells the inspiring true story of William Kamkwamba, a young boy from Malawi who defied impossible odds to bring electricity and hope to his village.
In drought-stricken Malawi, 13-year-old William faces famine and the loss of his family’s crops. Unable to continue school due to fees, he spends his days in the local library. There, he discovers books on science and energy. Using scrap materials and sheer determination, William builds a windmill to generate electricity and pump water for his village. His ingenuity transforms his community and eventually earns him international recognition.
William’s journey is real. Born in 1987 in Wimbe, Malawi, he taught himself engineering through books and hands-on experimentation. The windmill he created powered lights and radios, and later helped irrigate farmland. His story of creativity, persistence, and hope has inspired millions worldwide and became an internationally bestselling memoir
29 Jan, 2026 | By Hay Brunsdon