WRITING
Below is a selection of my published writing, performance, editing and academic work.
PLAYWRITING
ROYAL COURT / OMNIBUS THEATRE
"Samuel Takes A Break in Male Dungeon No. 5 After A Long But Generally Successful Day of Tours"*
The full-length version of this play was developed through the Royal Court Intro Group 2021, mentored by Miriam Battye. It has received dramaturgical support from many people, including Jane Fallowfield, Lucy Morrison & Nkechinyere Nwobani-Akanwo (Royal Court), Marie McCarthy (Omnibus Theatre), and David Lane (Goldsmiths University).
In 2021 this play was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Playwriting, and Channel 4's 4stories scheme.
An extract of this play was performed in October 2021 through the Omnibus Theatre's Engine Room programme, co-directed by myself & Josie Kyte, with movement direction from Tatenda Shamiso.
It is about a tour-guide called Samuel, who leads daily history tours for tourists during Ghana's Year of Return, at a slave castle that is not dissimilar to Cape Coast Castle.
*The title keeps changing with every iteration, but it is the same play - I promise.
ROYAL COURT
"WE ARE HERE TO MAKE CHANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
This short play was developed over a 6-months project through the Royal Court's SW1 programme. I worked with a group of teenage actors from schools in London to develop this play, which was then performed in March 2022 on the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs. The play explores the tensions and privileges around climate change activism, youth empowerment and tokenism.
Directed by malakaï sargeant.
Dramaturgy by Nkechinyere Nwobani-Akanwo and Ellie Fulcher.
Big thanks also to the whole Royal Court's Open Court team, and Associate Director Hamish Pirie.
OXFORD PLAYHOUSE
"A Memorial for the Homosexuals Persecuted Under National Socialism between 1933-1945"
A new play being developed through the Oxford Playhouse Playmakers scheme, mentored by playwright Clare Bayley. This play explores German national history and queer / lesbian relationships over the 20th and 21st century, all through the lens of an arguably choatic film-based memorial.
An extract will be performed at the Oxford Playhouse in July 2022.
ACT II FESTIVAL
"No Fuss"
A short play commissioned by ACT II in 2020, a theatre festival hosted at the Arcola Theatre. This play is about an elderly Jamaican woman planning the list of invites for her upcoming funeral.
Directed by Tatenda Shamiso.
Dramaturgy & Production by Amy Tickner.
This script was subsequently selected for the Birmingham Rep SKY Comedy writers programme in 2021.
OFFCAST PRODUCTIONS
"Supper Freak"
Supper Freak was a "funk and soul immersive experience" performed at the Bloomsbury Ballroom in May 2019, directed by Munotida Chinyanga.
Reviewed by gal-dem here.
GAMES & INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES
WE THE PEOPLE: BLACKPOOL
Writer
We The People is a Coney pub-quiz format that can be adapted to small towns and local areas. I created an unconventional community quiz in Blackpool, with each question inspired by conversations with local people.
Presented in collaboration with Leftcoast Blackpool and ArtB&B in Spring 2022.
THE SURROGACY ACT
Director & Writer
A game co-created with Zaina Mahmoud (Exeter, London Women's Clinic) and Meera Somji (LSE), exploring the world of surrogacy and fertility laws in the UK.
First presented at the Being Human Festival, November 2021.
IT SHOWS UP IN THE HAIR
Director & Writer
A pop-up hair salon and play co-written with Selma Ilube and June Forbes. This interactive show brings audience members into the world of a black hair salon, where they observe the everyday post-lockdown conversations between hairdresser and client - and get involved themselves.
Produced and performed as part of UCL's Festival of Intimacy in the Petrie Museum, June 2021.
HOME/CARE
Director & Writer
HOME/CARE is a game / interactive digital experience co-created with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and Coney. The piece explores the world of social care in the UK during the pandemic, drawing on the reporting of the bureau journalists and interviews with people across the system. Co-created with Cesía León-Alvarez, Chloe Mashiter, and Ilhan Yonis.
Presented for the first time at an event hosted by Coney and City University in July 2021.
PATIENT X: AN NHS EMERGENCY
Writer
A game created for The Advocacy Academy in collaboration with Tommy Ross-Williams and Fope Olaleye. This game introduces young people to the many issues facing the NHS, supported by the knowledge and experiences of real junior doctors.
First presented at 'Just Health, Just Sex' - Advocacy Academy's alumni residential - hosted at the Omnibus Theatre, London, April 2021.
THE INCOGNITO SOCIETY
Writer
A Coney game commissioned by UCL Culture, to connect new students with the collections of the UCL museums. Co-created with Tassos Stevens and Chloe Mashiter.
Presented for the first time in Autumn 2020.
THE MINISTRY OF TIME TRAVEL - NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Narrative consultant
A series of games created by Coney and commissioned by the National Archives, to bring to life the collections for young people and families.
ARTICLES
THE DAILY BEAST
Britain Confronts the Empire's Monumental Murderers (July 2020, co-authored with Josephine Huetlin)
CAMPAIGN BOOTCAMP
'We don’t question it': Fighting for an ad-free city with Leigh (Dec 2019)
'A force to be reckoned with': Grandmothers, Romani history and activism with Lolo (Jan 2020)
Know Your Rights: Bootcamp grad Esther’s top tips on legal activism (Jan 2020)
Top 10 book recommendations by activists in 2020 (Feb 2020)
Q&A with Magda Szarota: Pioneering the Polish disability movement (Feb 2020)
‘This is not an isolated incident’: Tessa on Essex 39, Chinese feminism and anti-border activism (Feb 2020)
What's holding me back? Nothing! Farina on queerness, Islam, and life in Bristol (Mar 2020)
Talking about trolls: Activists share their experiences (Mar 2020)
Fighting for prisoner rights: Prisons, abolition and COVID-19 (April 2020)
Activists speak out on how COVID-19 is impacting asylum seekers in the UK (April 2020)
Bootcamp talks to Maria: Trans rights, imposter syndrome and stand-up comedy (May 2020)
GAL-DEM
THE INDEPENDENT
International Women's Day 2017: The Girls Defying All The Odds To Become Scientists and Engineers (March 2017)
MEDIUM
EDITING
FACTORY MAGZINE
Co-editor 2020
FACTORY is Goldsmiths' creative writing magazine.
WHAT'S AFGHAN PUNK ROCK, ANYWAY?
Co-editor
ACADEMIA
GOLDSMITHS UNIVERSITY
MA in Writing for Performance and Dramaturgy (2019-21)
I completed my Masters at Goldsmiths University in 2021, part-funded by the Goldsmiths Excellence Scholarship, achieving a distinction overall. Taught courses taken include: Dramaturgy; Creative Interventions in Text; Writing for Specific Audiences; Historicising the Field of Black British Literature; and Queer Public History.
I received a distinction for my research project: "How does time function in Black British Literature?" with a focus on the concept of "grief-time" in Jackie Kay's Trumpet, and Oladipo Agboluaje's The Hounding of David Oluwale.
All work available upon request.
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY
Double-First Class BA in Politics, Psychology and Sociology (2012-15)
Across the course of my degree, my research focused primarily on: the history of political thought (from Plato through to 20th century); Middle Eastern history and politics; Congolese and Rwandan politics; and the politics of South Asia. I took additional papers in criminology, sociology, social anthropology, and social psychology.
My extended research project focused on the question "How do memories shape politics?" and explored the changing memory of the Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya and the UK from the 1950s up to present day.
My research and writing was lectured and supervised closely by Professor Richard Ned Lebow, Dr Renad Mansour, Dr Barbara Bodenhorn, Professor David Runciman, Professor Loraine Gelsthorpe, Dr Glen Rangwala, Dr Marta Magalhães Wallace, Dr Ayse Zarakol and Dr Alasia Nuti.
POETRY
ONE WORLD POETRY NIGHT, BERLIN 2019
Featured Poet
IS EVERYTHING POETRY? @ CURIOUS FOX, BERLIN 2019
Headline Poet
LITERALLY SPEAKING, BERLIN 2019
Featured Storyteller