Gathoni Kimuyu has spent fifteen years shaping some of Kenya’s most memorable stories. Her work spans Machachari, MaEmpress and the celebrated stage production Too Early For Birds. She has been the quiet force behind scripts that turned into cultural moments. Her peers named her Producer of the Year at the Kenya Theatre Awards in 2024. She built a reputation for making powerful work happen while staying out of view. On November 28 she chooses to tell the story she has carried the longest. Her own.
Free Me is her first personal stage project. It is also the truth of a woman who survived a marriage that shifted from promise to violence. The production follows one woman from her teenage years into adulthood as she learns to leave a relationship that harmed her and step into freedom. The cast includes Nungari Kiore, Renee Gichuki, Joan Cherono, Ella Maina and Gathoni Maina. Each performer carries a different part of the journey. The audience sees the past, the present and the future through five women on stage.
The underlying story was first researched and written by Magunga Williams. The new production builds on that foundation and turns it into a piece of theatre that aims to speak to survivors directly. The title Free Me has two meanings. It is a cry from someone trapped and a victory call from someone who walked away. Kenya continues to report rising cases of gender based violence. Many survivors stay silent. Gathoni knows that her decision to speak up may help others name what happened to them.
She reunites with director Mugambi Nthiga. He won Director of the Year at the Kenya Theatre Awards in 2023 and 2024. Their earlier work on Too Early For Birds and Tom Mboya earned strong followings. Their partnership returns for Free Me. Together they work through difficult questions. How do you stage trauma without causing more harm. How do you guide someone through retelling their own survival story. Their approach centers on honesty and care for everyone involved.
The creative team includes writer and creator Saumu Kombo, who recently won Best Scripted TV Series at the AMVCA 2025 for her work on Market Price. Mercy Mutisya joins the team with a strong background from Showmax, M Net and Netflix. Her credits include Untying Kantai and Click Click Bang. The project brings together experienced Kenyan storytellers who understand how to turn painful truths into art that empowers both performers and audiences.
This production carries weight beyond entertainment. Theatre can become a tool for reflection. It can offer survivors a sense of recognition. It reminds audiences that violence often hides in everyday life. A survivor might be a colleague, a neighbor or a familiar face on screen. Free Me asks people to listen and to understand that survival is not simple and not guaranteed.
Gathoni spent years bringing other people stories to life. She now chooses to place her own story at the center. Her decision is timely. Many women still face violence behind closed doors and many do not have the chance to speak about it. Watching someone who made it out can give others the courage to seek help. Some stories need to be told because silence protects the wrong people. Some truths remain alive even when covered.
Free Me opens at C.U. Shah Jain Bhavan in Loresho on Friday, November 28 at 7 PM. Shows continue on Saturday at 3 PM and 7 PM and Sunday at 3 PM and 7 PM.
