‘Ain’t I A Woman?’: 5 short plays inspire, educate, and unite audiences through heartfelt exploration of the complex intersection of race and gender

[London} “Ain’t I a woman?” features five engaging short plays, exploring the complex intersection of race and gender. Spanning settings ranging from a London casting room to a dystopian future, a sci-fi mystery to a TV studio, each play skilfully offers a unique perspective on the experience of being black and female in contemporary Britain. Collectively, the five plays deliver a message of hope and resilience, illustrating how the intersection of race and gender can be a source of allyship and inspiration.

2037: The Burden of representation weighs heavily on Fin as she faces an invidious choice: self over cause? Nicki Takes A Breath and prepares to pander to a lazy trope as this will open doors for her…or not?…..Will Ngozi actually resort to self-inflicted grievous bodily harm and succumb to the physical and metaphysical “whitewashing” promulgated by Changing Rays?  Mary, Queen of Thots optimistically ventures into digital dating….the perfect antidote for her self-loathing and depression….meanwhile, Tiwa exposes the insidious impact of the economic crisis on her world and wonders why we are not all In Conversation about this or don’t we care…?

By presenting relatable and aspirational characters, the five plays fosters empathy and understanding among diverse groups by highlighting shared struggles and triumphs. Ain’t I A Woman? entertains and educates. It also opens up conversations about race, gender, and intersectionality, and encourages audiences to reflect on their own experiences and biases.

Ain’t I A Woman? inquired 19th-century US abolitionist Sojourner Truth, in her famous 1851 speech at the Women’s Rights Convention, in which she powerfully exposed the dual impact of racism and sexism. A century later, in 1981, writer bell hooks borrows this title for her seminal feminist theory book, which explores the intersection of racism and sexism on black women.

Decades later, in June 2023, Landé Belo, an artistic director at Tower Theatre in London, UK, launched a search for new and aspiring black female writers to transform the question “Ain’t I A Woman?” into short plays designed to highlight the dual challenges of racism and sexism faced by black women. Using powerful narratives the plays inspire, educate, and unite audiences through a heartfelt exploration of the complexities and triumphs at the intersection of race and gender.

Produced by Landé Belo and directed by Landé Belo, Sara Amanda and Beverly Andrews, Ain’t I A Woman? will be at the Tower Theatre, 16 Northwold Road, Stoke Newington, London N16 7HR, from 10 to 20 July 2024. Suitable for ages 12+. Tickets are £12 in advance or £14 at the door.

The Tower Theatre Company provides high quality yet affordable drama while enabling people of all ages and backgrounds to experience every aspect of live theatre. The company has more than 700 Members and Friends and presents up to 18 full-scale productions a year to a wide audience at its own theatre in Stoke Newington, which it moved into during 2018.