An idea born out of the need to reconnect during the lockdowns of the pandemic, powerhouses Sophia A Jackson – founder of Afridiziak Theatre News renowned for her championing of Black Theatre within the UK, and Nina Malone, founder of influential digital platform Dope Black Mums, set up to bring a community of women together to share their experiences of motherhood have joined forces to introduce the Afridiziak Theatre News x Dope Black Mums Meet-Up, an opportunity for mums to meet and watch a show in collaboration with Soho Theatre. Having hosted their first ever event on Tuesday 15th February, where the collective met up to watch award winning production Queens of Sheba by Nouveau Riche, the next meet up will have the collective introduced to award winning production Shedding a Skin by Amanda Wilkin on Saturday 19th March 2022. Ahead of the meet up, Sophia and Nina reflect on the first event and tell us what their hopes are for the event moving forward!
Having created a much needed space for the first hand experiences of refugees, migrants and asylum seekers within the UK to be heard, PSYCHEdelight have presented a series of crucial works placing these stories centre stage. Currently presenting Mohand and Peter, drawing on company member Mohand Hasb Alrosol Abdalrahem’s real life experience of leaving his native Sudan to seek asylum, the devised piece, created by fellow company member Peter Pearson and artistic director Sophie Bertrand Besse blends clowning and visual poetry to explore explore cultural identity and the traumatic effect of long-term exile as well as celebrating refugee home countries. Ahead of the production, showing at the Southwark Playhouse from the 9th March until 9th April, Mohand and Peter tell us more about exploring this pertinent story, what it means to have a platform such as PSYCHEdelight to tell these stories and how the team have approached creating the show.
A tale inspired by her very own grandmother’s story of being ostracised for her African spiritual retentions, award winning performer Julene Robinson presents The Night Woman, a culmination of folklore, poetry and songs drawing from her native Caribbean heritage. Initially due to play at this year’s VAULT Festival, which was sadly cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic, the production receives its much deserved debut at The Other Palace Theatre from Friday 11th to Sunday 13th 2022 as part of their VAULT Fest 2022 transfer season. Ahead of the production, Julene tells us more about the show’s two year development journey, exploring her grandmother’s legacy and what to expect!