Grenfell - Steve McQueen
I come from a background in community organising and social justice activism, and those values underpin my writing. Finding a way to ‘say something’ without being preachy, boring, or existing in an echo chamber is hard, and something I’m still learning. Steve McQueen’s work – his film Hunger also is particularly meaningful to me – is proof that it is possible to highlight and comment on serious issues in an unflinching manner with nuance and creativity.
The short film is a single continuous shot of the burnt-out wreckage of Grenfell Tower, where 72 people were killed due to corporate fraud and government failure. The choices he makes – no additional sound, no context, no explaining – are such mature and powerful ones. The circling of the camera and the silence draws you into a meditative state: allowing your mind to ask questions like “will there ever be justice for a forgotten crime?” and “would people care more if those who died were called Mark and John instead of Fatima and Hesham?”
This career can sometimes feel frivolous in relation to the many difficult things going on in the world, and it’s nice to have reminders that art has a place in pushing for change.
Favour - Ambreen Razia
Every day, week, month, year, I’m discovering phenomenal artists that share aspects of my culture and identity, who have paved the way before me and are role models to look up to. It’s hard to understate how valuable and meaningful that is. Five years on from enrolling in drama school because I felt like there was nothing out there to serve our communities, there’s been an explosion of south Asian and Muslim talent in theatre finally getting their moment, and I hope it’s here to stay.
Ambreen is one of them! Her play expertly captures the feeling and specificity of a world that’s extremely familiar to me, with a heartwarming, challenging, and at times hilarious tale centring on three generations of Muslim women under one roof. It’s still relatively rare to see our cultures depicted and platformed in mainstream venues, and we desperately need more of it: to feel like we exist, to know there are others like us, and to process our experiences. I can’t accurately describe the feeling of being seen and the depth of the laughter and emotion that creates for audiences, but it’s a good one.
Clean Break, co-producers of this play, use theatre to advance reforms in the criminal justice system and for women in prison. They set a great and successful example of how to put community and activism at the heart of an artistic process.
Duck - maatin
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This is the first full-length play I’m bringing to the stage, which is an exciting moment. I don’t take the opportunity lightly, and believe the format of theatre – where the audience chooses to sit and receive whatever’s happening on the stage, live, without distraction – is such a powerful privilege. So the starting point for me is, what can I do with this chance?
It’s a one-person show about a British South Asian, Muslim teenage boy, which at the time felt like nothing I’d ever seen on stage before. I started with a bold choice and have tried to push myself to continue making bold decisions throughout.
It’s been quite a journey to get here – almost three years – with plenty of highs and lows along the way. I see them all as positives, giving me the chance to learn as much as I can about how the industry works and how to remain focused on my first and most important goal, which is to do my part to create opportunities for creatives of minoritised and underrepresented backgrounds above all else. As the writer and producer on this production, I’m really proud of the work that’s gone into trying to achieve that, including curating special performances for audiences traditionally underrepresented in theatre to feel welcomed, celebrated, and comfortable entitled ‘A Space For Us’.
Death of England - Roy Williams
This was the last play I saw before lockdown in 2020, and Roy also happened to be my mentor when I first developed Duck. The whole production was so captivating – one man (Rafe Spall) commanding a massive stage at the National all by himself. It gave me the idea “what if a brown actor had a stage all to themself?” which felt radical, and hugely appealing to an actor. Turns out, one-person shows are incredibly hard to write! I’m immensely grateful to Roy for his inspiration and stewardship to give Duck its start in life.
Uncle Vanya - Chekhov
One of my introductions to theatre was through 19th Century naturalists and I have a strong appreciation for their craft. However, my general feeling is I would rather see fewer adaptations of the same old plays (even if they’re great!) in favour of commissioning some of the multitudes of new writers who stand ready to fill our stages. This was validated by my experience seeing a particular production of Uncle Vanya that contained an egregious, inexplicable Islamophobic “edit”. It was such a jarring and disappointing experience that reinforced how normalised Islamophobia is in our society, and barely concealed under the guise of art. I think that was the day I decided to become a writer, and here we are!
Duck is playing at the Arcola from 27 June - 15 June, tickets are available here. A Space For Us performances on Friday 30 June and Saturday 1 July.
