Why a Black Woman will never be Prime Minister

Camden Peoples Theatre

Written and performed by Zakiyyah Deen

Passionate, relevant and fantastic writing. This piece is an important statement about the state of society and politics. It's not one to be missed.

If you don't leave the theatre and share this piece with your friends and family, you have not understood the aim of the show. You must convince at least one person to watch this show.

The piece follows a young, ambitious woman starting university to do a degree in politics. The message is a statement about the horrific state of society; How black women are treated and the lack of inclusion/representation in politics. Also, how black women have a higher risk of issues during pregnancy, there is not enough healthcare support to prevent deaths from these issues in pregancy, it does not seem to be discussed enough in the news. There are so many relevant topics covered that help spread awareness, hopefully it will help educate people and help make change for a better, more inclusive and caring society. There needs to be more representation, support and opportunities for black women.

In the piece, you follow the main character, Shanice, over 9 months at university and how an unexpected pregnancy turns her world upside down. The audience are welcomed in to her life and get to know her life story, her relationships, her life plans and roots/traditions. She breaks the fourth wall throughout the piece by addressing the audience. She creates a strong connection with the audience, and you feel the passion she has for making a difference. It's infectious. Zakiyyah Deen plays Shanice perfectly, it is so important to cast the correct actress for this piece, because you have to connect with the audience, make them feel your emotion and convince them to be a part of making change in society. It is clear that Dean holds alot of fire, her performance is intense and you are drawn to her. She portrays a warm, open and comforting character. The comic timing is perfect.

There is a frequent use of voice over: voices for phone calls and snippets of speeches and also music. This helps give the production texture, but also gives the audience time to soak up and marinate in the information being fed to them. One moment in particular is when Shanice is trying to call the doctors and the typical NHS gp phone call messages and queue music is played. This highlights the state of healthcare and how difficult it is to get help when you need it. It's funny because everyone in the audience can relate, but has a serious undertone because it is such a mess that it is so hard to be seen by doctors. Shanice also is forced by her boyfriend to see the doctor, because she expressed how she didn't want to waste their time, as she felt her issue was not important. This shows how you have to feel horrendously ill to feel you deserve healthcare support, which of course is NOT right.

The addition of the character John Gainsborough played by Ryan Whittle shows the ignorance of society and the lack of care. Whittle plays Gainsborough as a stereotypical cold hearted politician who struggles to think about the impact of his decisions on the people he is representing. The dynamic between the two is moving, because you can see how Shanice's confidence to speak out makes a a dent of difference in his campaign and forces him to think about the people of his country. His character is a good addition, but I think this show would be stronger and more hard hitting if it was just Shanice, because it takes the attention from her at times and gives the show satire comedy that makes you realise the stupidity of politicians, but takes the attention away from the message. Politics in theatre can sometimes feel suffocating and the balance is just right in this show and it gives you statistics to form your own opinion. You don't feel forced to feel a certain way, if you are empathetic and care for others then you too will feel the heart breaking truth of society and want change.

This piece is one to watch and hopefully it will get the recognition it truly deserves. Zakiyyah Dean is a brilliant actress, with a bold and comforting personality, her writing is very clever and poetic at times. A well written show with insane amounts of depth. If theatre is your hobby, then this show should be next on your list and it will be interesting to see how this develops! There is nothing more fantastic than theatre that educates and makes a difference.

Get tickets and take a friend: https://cptheatre.co.uk/whatson/Why-a-Black-Woman-Will-Never-Be-Prime-Minister