Celebrated in East Africa. Still Under the Radar in Norway

While audiences in Kenya, Tanzania, and across East Africa know MATATA as one of the region’s most innovative music groups, the collective remains a relatively unknown name to many in Norway. It is a paradox that lies at the heart of the group's story. Since forming in Oslo in 2016, MATATA has built an international following through music, dance, and storytelling.

From 29 October to 4 November, MATATA returns to Nordic Black Theatre with the critically acclaimed performance Poverty Slaps, But We Slap Back Harder. Following sold-out performances at Gamle Munch in 2025 and a strong reception during Oslo World, audiences once again have the opportunity to experience a production that moves seamlessly between theatre, dance, music, and personal storytelling.

The performance is built around the real-life stories of MATATA members Fredrick Milanya, Festus Mwenda, Richard Mathu, and Marcus Ojiambo. These are their own stories, shaped by childhood, dreams, hardship, and the journey toward life as artists between Kenya and Norway.

“This is not someone else’s story. These are our lives. Theatre gave us the opportunity to tell our stories in a way that music alone could not. We have always been more than musicians and dancers. We are storytellers,” says the group.

A Performance About Dignity, Resilience, and Hope

Poverty Slaps, But We Slap Back Harder is a raw and honest story about people building a life from nothing. Through music, dance, humour, and powerful personal narratives, the performance takes audiences into a world where hope refuses to die, even when adversity seems overwhelming.

At the same time, the production challenges conventional perceptions of poverty.

“We are not looking for the audience’s pity. We are looking for understanding. Behind every struggle are people with dignity, creativity, and ambition. Poverty is not necessarily a personal failure, but often the result of larger structures and circumstances,” MATATA explains.

For MATATA, the performance is therefore as much about human strength as it is about difficult living conditions.

Between two worlds

MATATA was formed in Oslo by Kenyan artists Fredrick Milanya, Festus Mwenda, Richard Mathu, and Marcus Ojiambo, who came together through dance and music. What began as a dance collective has since evolved into an international music phenomenon, with millions of streams, collaborations with some of East Africa’s biggest artists, and a rapidly growing global audience.

At the same time, the group has always lived and created at the intersection of Kenya and Norway. This duality has become central to both their identity and artistic expression.

“The two countries give us different things. Kenya is the source of much of our identity, energy, and inspiration. The culture, the people, the language, the humour, and everyday life influence everything we create. Norway, on the other hand, has given us space and structure. It has been a laboratory where we have been able to experiment, grow, and develop as artists. Our work exists somewhere between these two worlds. We are constantly building a bridge between where we come from and where we are today,” says Fredrick Milanya.

This tension between continents, cultures, and belonging is also at the heart of Poverty Slaps, But We Slap Back Harder, a performance that explores identity, resilience, and the pursuit of a life on one’s own terms.

Stories that continue to live

As MATATA returns to Poverty Slaps, But We Slap Back Harder, it is also a return to the stories that have shaped them as both people and artists.

“Going back to these stories has been therapeutic. It has forced us to look inward, reflect on who we are, and revisit the experiences that have shaped our lives. The performance feels personal because the stories are our own. We are not simply performing a script. We are telling the story of our lives. We speak from the heart. Sometimes it does not even feel like a theatre production. It feels like life itself,” says MATATA.

Through music, dance, and theatre, the production invites audiences into the stories behind the group. The result is a rare sense of honesty and intimacy, where the boundaries between performance and lived experience are constantly challenged.

Cast

• Fredrick Milanya
• Festus Mwenda
• Richard Mathu
• Marcus Ojiambo
• Collins Milanya
• Gordon Odhiambo
• Kevin Vadsten
• Thomas Mathiesen Dulsrud
• Jah James
  

Artistic Team

Director: Cliff A. Moustache
Script: MATATA and Cliff A. Moustache
Choreography: Bright Wamwanduka
Lighting Design: Nils Haagenrud
Assistant Lighting Designer: Karla Gabriela
Scenography: Jad El Khoury
Costume Design: Emmanuel Prempeh
Video Technician: Mohammad Abdalla
Voice-over: Fernanda Veloso
Producer: Jarl Solberg

Produced by Nordic Black Theatre. Part of Oslo World 2026.

Find more information about the performance and tickets here.