The Return of Benjamin Lay

By Naomi Wallace and Marcus Rediker

In the silence of a Quaker meeting house, Benjamin Lay ⁠-⁠ shepherd, sailor, revolutionary, and the British Empire's first revolutionary abolitionist ⁠-⁠ returns from the grave almost 300 years after his death, as feisty and unpredictable as ever. The four-foot "David" confronts the "Goliath" of slavery as he demands once again to be readmitted into the Quaker community that disowned him for ideas considered dangerous and disruptive. How far will he go to share his prophetic vision knowing the cost of protest? Sweeping across the centuries and continents, THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY is a hallucinatory exploration of the life of a radical who became one of the earliest revolutionary abolitionists.

"A potent piece of political theatre." ⁠-⁠Michael Billington

"A complex and fascinating play." ⁠-⁠Broadway World

"A remarkable piece of storytelling." ⁠-⁠Plays to See

"At the end, on the night I went, the audience rocketed up in a standing O punctuated by shouts and woo-hoos. I left the theater feeling moved to be, if only in some small way, like Benjamin Lay." ⁠-⁠Entertainment Central Pittsburgh

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0G3SG285B
• ISBN13: 9798888560488
• Release Date: February 2025
• Publisher: Broadway Play Publishing
• Length: 36 Pages
• Weight: 0.12 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.1" x 5.5"