William Kentridge to Bring The Head & the Load to Oakland
The acclaimed production will premiere at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts this November.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Performance Art
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William Kentridge will bring his interdisciplinary production The Head & the Load to the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts in Oakland for its West Coast premiere from Nov. 12 to 15, 2026. The performance serves as a memorial for the more than 1 million Africans injured or killed during World War I.
Why it matters
The production aims to address the widespread absence of historical knowledge regarding the colonial cost of World War I. It uses artistic fragments to challenge the narrative of the war by memorializing those who were excluded from the 1919 Allied victory parade.
The production utilizes a 180-foot-long stage to present its multi-sensory performance. This work previously premiered at the Tate Modern in London in 2018.
The players
William Kentridge
He is a 71-year-old artist whose interdisciplinary works are the subject of a five-year initiative by Cal Performances.
Cal Performances
This organizing institution at UC Berkeley is launching a multi-season initiative to host works by the artist through the 2031-32 season.
Debarati Sanyal
She is a scholar scheduled to participate in a pre-performance conversation during the production run in Oakland.
The details
The production incorporates dance, projection, speech, song, shadow play, costume and music to construct a fragmented historical narrative. Kentridge, who is 71 years old, intends for these pieces to invite the audience to build their own understanding of the colonial impact of the war.
Timeline
Nov. 12-15, 2026: The production premieres in Oakland.
Nov. 13, 2026: A pre-performance conversation with Debarati Sanyal is scheduled.
Industry Dynamics
This production represents the launch of a five-year initiative by Cal Performances to present ongoing interdisciplinary works by William Kentridge. The multi-year residency positions the institution as a long-term hub for complex, research-based performance art through the 2031-32 season.
The production will be available to local audiences for four days at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts. Tickets and scheduling information for the West Coast premiere can be found through the hosting organization, Cal Performances.
The takeaway
The performance invites attendees to engage deeply with historical narratives that have long been excluded from mainstream memorials. Understanding the scale of the colonial cost of World War I provides a broader perspective on 20th-century history.
Further reading
Learn more about local cultural offerings in the Performance Art section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by J..
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