My mother is a first-generation Bengali immigrant and growing up she used to tell me “Remember, this is not our country”. This was a frequent reminder to be a model citizen, to avoid drawing too much attention, to not complain and get on with it. “But Ammu, this is MY country.” And then in 2019 Shamima Begum had her UK citizenship revoked on national security grounds. This play, set in a girl’s school in 2014, is a coming-of-age story about a Bengali Muslim girl in East London. It explores the many things that teenage girls are preoccupied with. These include boys, friends, school, and who they might want to be outside of their family home and the school setting. But then, police are intruding. The internet provides compelling answers to injustice. Friendships break down and life is suddenly much bigger and more complicated than Shamima ever thought possible.
About the company: Queen of Arts was founded by Tasnim Siddiqa Amin in 2016. Based in East London, the company tells radical stories, new and old, that cross time and place. Their practice is based around artist wellbeing, cross disciplinary art forms and intersectional feminism.
Tickets £10 (+fees). Limited numbr of pay what you can tickets available.
Doors 6.00pm Start 6.30pm
English | 60 minutes I 12+