HOME, Manchester are presenting The Emperor, a play by Colin Teevan about His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie, King of Kings of Ethiopia.

This has local interest for, in 1938, at the height of his power and influence, Haile Selassie visited Dunham Hall and became a life long friend of the then Earl of Stamford, Roger Grey.

The Earl always unfurled the Ethiopian flag on the roof of the hall, to commemorate the emperor’s birthday and this custom was re-introduced by the National Trust in 2012.

In his hey day, Selassie was a force to be reckoned with. Rastafarians even worshipped him as a God.

The play, directed by Home’s Artistic Director, Walter Meierjohann, illustrates his fall from grace as described in Polish journalist Kapuscinski’s book The Emperor: Downfall of an Autocrat.

In it, he interviews 35 of Selassie’s servants. In this production, they are all played by acclaimed actress Kathryn Hunter, who re-enacts their accounts of his regime and the downfall which leads to his imprisonment in 1974.

Ultimately, in the Marie-Antoinette style of “Let them eat Cake”, he gorges on banquets whilst his people starve.

Live music, performed by Temesgen Zeleke, leader of three-piece Ethiopian band Krar Collective takes you to a different African world.

The show lasts just one hour and five minutes but you will learn so much in that time about this friend of Dunham Massey, you’ll be glad you came.

* The Emperor runs from September 28 to October 8. Tickets, priced £10 - £23 are available from www.HOMEmcr.org or at the box office on 0161 200 1500