Hate Radio

Can words kill? Can a radio broadcast fuel massacres? How susceptible are we to media manipulation? 

Rwanda, 1994. A radio broadcast sparks the most brutal genocide since the end of the Cold War. Rwandan society is swept away by the idea of eradicating a minority in the name of peace and freedom.  

Twenty-nine years on, an award-winning dramatist reconstructs a radio broadcast from RTLM using eyewitness accounts, studies, and reports of real-life events during the genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda. 

The acclaimed Swiss theatre director, journalist and lecturer Milo Rau brings their award-winning piece Hate Radio to BAC after touring from the Avignon Festival and the Theatertreffen, Berlin to more than twenty countries.

This performance is in French and Kinyarwanda. All performances will be captioned in English.

Content warning: Detailed description of murder, mutilation, rape, genocide, sexual assault and execution (not enacted on stage), racist language and violent hate speech

Post-Show Discussion – 19 April

A post-show discussion will follow the performance of Hate Radio on 19th April. This will be moderated by Pelin Basaran, Head of Programming at BAC, Alphonsine Kabagabo, representing Survivors Fund (SURF), Ivan Nyagatare the Secretary for the Rwandan Diaspora, and members of the Hate Radio Cast.

Alphonsine Kabagabo is a professional with 20 years of experience in leading the design and delivery of girl-centred, gender-transformative programmes for the World Assocation of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, particularly in the Africa Region. She is currently the Director of Women for Refugee Women, an organisation that advocates for and empowers women refugees. Alphonsine is also a passionate advocate for girls and women’s rights with extensive experience as a facilitator and speaker in regional and international events addressing issues such as self-esteem, education, leadership development, the fight against gender-based violence and economic empowerment.

Alphonsine is a passionate advocate for cultural understanding and peacebuilding. She is a trustee of Survivors Fund (SURF), a registered charity which supports survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda through a range of programmes including skills training, livelihood development, housing, education and counselling.

As a survivor of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and a member of the speaker’s team of the Ishami Foundation, she speaks at school, universities and other public and private places to share her experience through education and awareness raising.

Ivan Nyagatare is a social entrepeneur, educator, and writer. Rwanda-born and London-based, Ivan is passionate about leveraging technology to create evergreen solutions for the community. He started BOW, a creative agency where he builds brands like ISHURI, a platform where Rwandans and their friends can learn about the country’s language, culture, and history, and The Wisdomous, a weekly newsletter about how to have a better outlook on life. He serves as the Secretary for the Rwandan Diaspora in the United Kingdom.