Investigating Black women’s maternal health through the lens of politics, race and gender in the workplace.
“This play is intended for two performers but can be performed solo or with a massive ensemble. In other words, f**k the rules and do what you want. The only thing I do request is that the Black woman is played by a Black woman. This is not open for interpretation. Safe.”
Created out of frustration with the lack of attention towards Black women’s maternal health, writer and performer Zakiyyah Deen’s debut play scrutinizes how intersectionality and British politics contribute to the lived experiences of Black women's maternal journeys.
A co-production with Camden People’s Theatre as part of their 30th anniversary season championing early-career artists, Why A Black Woman Will Never Be Prime Minister follows Shanice, a young black woman, from her first day at university, and John on his first day of his political campaign. Shanice proudly embodies all the things that John is not. She represents the people, while he represents the institution. Coming from two different worlds but the same area in London, an opportunity arises for these two worlds to collide, revealing their stark differences and uncanny similarities as the hypocrisy of public facing messaging around diversity compared to the reality comes to the foreground.
Set over nine months, this piece explores intersectionality, British politics, and Black women's maternal health, fusing satire, spoken word, and narrative. Zakiyyah Deen’s debut play directly addresses the real reasons: Why A Black Woman Never Be Prime Minister.
Writer and performer Zakiyyah Deen said, “Why a Black Woman Will Never Be Prime Minister was conceived out of my frustration with Black women’s maternal health receiving a lack of attention and the increasing f**keries in politics. The harsh reality that Black women face greater dangers in childbirth fueled my determination to tell this story. Obtaining a seat in a theatre is far easier than obtaining a seat in parliament. Thus if we can’t get into these spaces, we must take to the streets and the stages. This dramedy is my way of demanding we shine a light on these issues while provoking thought and inciting conversation.”
Listings
22nd October – 9th November 2024
Camden People's Theatre, 58-60 Hampstead Road, London, NW1 2PY
Tue – Sat, 7pm, Sat matinee 3pm
£15.00 – £5.00, Babes In Arms and Pay What You Can performance Sat 9 Nov
Post-show Q&A: Wed 30 Oct after 7pm show
Further Information: Camden People's Theatre (cptheatre.co.uk)