Jali: Oliver Twist in-conversation with Chika Ikogwe

Comedian Oliver Twist was four years old when he and his family fled the aftermath of genocide in Rwanda for Malawi, their exile for the next fourteen years.

Twist has turned the turmoil he and his family endured into a thrilling adventure of a hero's journey. A natural born storyteller, propelled from the cold alleys of a Malawian refugee camp to the warm spotlight of the Australian stage, he vividly describes what it’s like to leave your homeland behind and to have to wait your whole childhood for life to begin.

Powerful, heartbreaking and full of humour, Jali marks the arrival of a dazzling new voice.

Our event space is wheelchair accessible via a stair lift. Please contact events@betterread.com.au with any additional access requirements and/or questions.

Oliver Twist is a writer and actor. He has toured Australia with his critically acclaimed shows Jali and Griot, and appeared on SBS and the ABC. As a comic, he has been chosen to open for the best national and international acts. He has been lauded as a talent both by critics and by audiences, gaining him award nominations for his work.

Chika Ikogwe is an award-winning Nigerian-Australian writer and graduate of The National Institute of Dramatic Art. Chika is incredibly passionate about diversity and representation, and strives to bring authentic Afrocentric stories to the forefront of Australian stages and screens. She is known for Heartbreak High (2022), Land of Bad (2024) and The Tourist (2022).