Inua Ellams was born in Nigeria and is an internationally touring poet, playwright, performer, graphic artist and designer. He is an ambassador for the Ministry of Stories and has published four books of poetry. His plays and stage adaptations include The 14th Tale (Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Fringe First winner), Barber Shop Chronicles (National Theatre) and Three Sisters (National Theatre). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.Oladipo 'Dipo' Agboluaje is a British-Nigerian playwright and academic, born in London and educated in Britain and Nigeria. He studied Theatre Arts at the University of Benin, Nigeria, and later wrote a doctoral thesis at the Open University, UK, on West and South African drama. He won the Alfred Fagon prize for playwriting for his play Iya-lle and is a Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund, working in partnership with the University of East London, UK. He has written the commentary and notes to the Methuen Drama Student Edition of Inua Ellams's Barber Shop Chronicles (Bloomsbury, 2021).

A startlingly vivid account of the civil war and a direct assault on British neocolonialism ... Ellams brilliantly uses the context to sharpen specific relationships ... Above all, the play offers a searing attack on British responsibility for the war dating to the time when they created Nigeria out of 250 ethnic groups and languages.

• IntroductionTimelineInua EllamsSocial and Political ContextThe Berlin Conference (1884-1885)Indirect Rule/AdministrationThe Formation of NigeriaThe Nigeria Civil War/Biafra WarEthnicityAnton ChekhovAdaptationsPost-colonialism/post-colonial theatre/neo-colonialismCommentaryStructure/TimeFate and DutyTradition vs ModernitySymbolismMain CharactersCritical ReceptionGlossarySelected texts on the Biafran WarTexts CitedThree Sisters: After ChekhovNotes