Last evening was one for the books. I showed up for Lust Cargo ready to be mentally disturbed and emotionally moved, and the show delivered beyond expectation. Let’s unpack the experience.
You can always tell how much effort has gone into a production the moment you walk in. The Lust Cargo team spoke to us right from the entrance. Attendees were guided to a booth where they could read notes left by earlier guests and write messages for those who would come after them. This was a simple yet powerful way to set the tone for the evening.
The next stop was the rage room, a deeply triggering space. Its walls were painted with words and imagery depicting different forms of gender-based violence: toxic relationships, sexual abuse, and pedophilia. Tears accompanied many who paused to take it all in. In the middle stood a table with handwritten affirmations from the Lust Cargo team; gentle reminders and hugs in word form, helping us process the rage and pain that filled the room.
The show officially began a few minutes past 6:00 p.m. with a captivating theatrical performance by Timelines and Belvin, who played curious five-year-olds talking about sex. Scar and Nyash portrayed their parents. This opening explored how different people first learned about sex.
Image taken by Joe Photography and Safaris
A seamless transition led us into the theme of pedophilia. What struck me most was how Scar, Nitap, and Belvin captured society’s flawed approach to this topic. Scar, playing the mother, warned her daughter Belvin to “watch how you dress around your uncle,” implying that the child’s behavior, not the abuser’s, was the problem. The scene raised a haunting question: Who should be protected- the child or the abuser in the name of family reputation?
The next act explored a romantic relationship between Scar and Timelines, taking us from their first meeting to their life as a married couple. This was the emotional peak for me. It showed how quickly romance can shift from love and butterflies to hatred and bruises.
“If you don’t want to be a wife, then leave.”
“You know I love your natural beauty.”
“All you want is a master’s, yet you haven’t mastered how to be a wife.”
Timelines delivered a chilling portrayal of gaslighting, while Scar embodied the quiet breaking of a woman trying to survive emotional and physical abuse.
“My body has become his battlefield. Here, he fights battles I know nothing of.”
Her poem left the audience in tears. Every word felt like a wound and a mirror.
Photo by Joe Photography and Safaris
Then Nitap took the stage, powerfully reminding us that men suffer too. He spoke of the silent mental abuse men endure in the name of “being strong” and the sexual violations young boys often face.
“The hands that were supposed to hold me… they did more than that.
They went too low down there not to find me.”
Toward the end, Nyash portrayed the Kenyan justice system, showing how deeply broken it is when it comes to gender-based violence. It was painful to be reminded that justice, for many, remains a privilege.
“Bibi anakupiga aje?”
“Ganji ndiyo inabonga.”
The poets then reunited for the final act “Ukuta” a powerful group piece that tied every story together. It was both a summary and a call to action, urging us as a society to break the walls of silence, shame, and ignorance.
Lust Cargo proved how powerful theatre, music, and poetry can be when combined to tell raw, necessary truths. The transitions were smooth, the themes well-curated, and the emotions real.
It was worth every minute, every tear, and every coin. The poets weren’t there to entertain; they came to educate, provoke thought, and awaken empathy. Lust Cargo reminded me once again of poetry’s immense power as an educational tool.
My only recommendation? Turn it into a tour. The rest of the country needs to experience this masterpiece.
Wanja Writes.