An outstanding play that beautifully conveys both the beauty and the pain of suffering with mental health—and the people who love us through the worst of times.
I first encountered babirye’s work at Stratford East as part of the Burn it Down programme, where they presented Yummy, a show placed in a game where “nobody is eating.” I loved the work-in-progress, so I was really excited to see a fully fleshed-out production by them—especially since …blackbird hour acts as a sequel to …cake, their critically acclaimed debut at Theatre Peckham.
Visually, the stage is bathed in deep blue, inky light. A bed sits at its centre like a ship—such a striking choice because mental health struggles are so often tied to a life spent in bed. But here, the bed isn’t just a bed. It becomes a portal to other possibilities—through music, letters, journals, and memory, the days spent in it take on a different form entirely. Before the show begins, snippets of conversation drift in, setting the tone and inviting us into Eshe’s world… “Who hurt you?”
The integration of creative audio description, captioning, and film is stunning—it is the most seamless and visually striking accessibility I’ve seen in a production. The writing itself is magnetic, poetic, and deeply felt, however, the performances don’t always match the emotional weight of the text.
…blackbird hour is raw, intimate, and visually striking—a hopeful story playing homage to the people who love us through our lowest moments.
Review written by Tasnim Siddiqa Amin.
…blackbird hour Is currently showing until Saturday 1st March 2025 at the Busht Theatre. To find out more about the production, visit here…
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