Of what use is a good man without ambition?

Set during the civil wars of 19th-century Yorubaland, Crown of Blood is a powerful retelling of the classic Macbeth, adapted by Oladipo Agboluaje.

Crown of Blood follows the story of General Aderemi. Fresh from saving the kingdom from invaders, he is promoted to Field Marshall, thus fulfilling the prophecy of the oracle. When the oracle says he will become King, Aderemi and his wife Oyebisi go on a bloody mission to ensure he sits on the throne.

This edition was published to coincide with the co-production between Utopia Theatre and Sheffield Theatres at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield and the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry in February 2026.

Oladipo 'Dipo' Agboluaje is a playwright and academic. His first play Early Morning was produced in 2003 at Oval House Theatre in South London; it was followed by a string of original plays, adaptations and radio plays. His first collection of plays, Plays One, was published by Oberon in 2014. His writing deals with identity and belonging, and the African Diasporic condition. He is the 2009 winner of the Alfred Fagon prize for playwriting for his play Iya-Ile (The First Wife). Iya-Ile was also nominated for an Olivier Award that same year. Set in Nigeria during military rule, Iya-Ile is a prequel to his 2006 play The Estate. Oladipo has also published a number of poems and short stories. He now finds himself writing more for young audiences, setting plays in alternate worlds. His influences for this crop of work stems from a youth spent devouring science fiction and fantasy novels, and comic books. He reviews essay submissions for the African Performance Review journal and has taught creative writing and post-colonial theatre at several universities.