What are the themes of your play?
My play speaks on intersectionality, British politics and Black women’s maternal health. I interweave these themes through spoken word, satire and narrative.
There is also a news report section where I sprinkle in comments on global conflicts, the Windrush Scandal compensation and social mobility. There is only so much I could say in 90 minutes innit, but these were a few things on my mind at the time.
Why did you write it and why now?
At the time of writing, Black women were four to five times more likely to die in childbirth.
My play was conceived out of frustration at the lack of attention given to this statistic. It was also a response to political leaders and their inability to truly listen to what we were saying. I believe the political is closely linked to the personal so as a storyteller, writing and then performing the work felt like the most honest way for me to respond to what I was seeing and feeling.
Which playwrights are you influenced by and why?
It feels like a cop out to say every playwright, but there is a level of vulnerability and bravery that comes with creating a world and taking it from the mind to the page and then the stage, so in a way anyone who has done (and continues to do) that influences me.
That being said, Michaela Coel and Arinzé Kene are particular names that come to mind. As I was falling deeper in love with theatre, I was blessed to have their works within reach.
Chewing Gum Dreams is a play that marks a moment in my early reading. Michaela showed me as a Black British woman how writing can be an act of owning your story and creating work that reflects you and the people you know.
Misty gripped me with its blend of spoken word and narrative but also with the way it interrogated its own form. It questioned itself and the audience in real time. It felt live in a way I hadn’t experienced before and had a kind of swagger that was missing from some of the theatre I was watching at the time.
As a writer-performer, I’ve watched how both of them have crafted their stories and built their careers while navigating life and everything this industry can throw at you. Their work looks, sounds and feels like the people I know and love and seeing that helped me validate my own writing and encouraged me to trust my voice.
What do you hope to achieve as a playwright?
The work I make is as playful as it is provocative and as I grow as a person, I hope my artistry grows too.
No matter what, I just hope to tell stories that make people feel. Theatre is an incredible place for debate, reflection and connection and I love being part of that conversation. I want longevity in my journey as a storyteller because even when it feels tough, this is something I know I want to do.