Triple Bill: Everywhere is a show produced by tiati fahodzi and is written by three talented writers – Yusra Warsama, Magero and Anyebe Godwin. This is a collection of short plays of roughly 30 minutes each, which demonstrates human experiences of displacement, maternity and housing issues with a particular focus on the Black experience.
When you walk in, the stage is set with minimal props, perking curiosity due to them having little connection to one another. The intimate venue, which made it more engrossing, feels more of a personal performance such as the actors giving great eye contact with the audience and even using a seat amongst us in the second portion of the performance.
Personally, I found the first performance (Everywhere by Magero) the most thought provoking. It involves siblings attempting to crack a code in an escape room. This involves uncovering family relationships and secrets which makes things more difficult as it means addressing unsaid rifts and acknowledging differences within one another. It is very powerful and the stage set up with the lighting and background music added to the suspense. In addition, it highlights very well how family dynamics can differ and how lives converge but also it makes you question how well you truly know your family members despite the closeness you may feel.
The themes that the writers included within the play are very moving and captivating; I feel like I left the show with more knowledge on challenges the Black community face. Not only that, there is a strong sense of resilience throughout the play which is empowering and emphasises the strength of connection which is a significant thread that runs through the three stories.
A point of improvement for the writers would be for them to provide more context surrounding the situations the characters faced themselves in towards the beginning of the 30 minute sections rather than at the end. I found that it could sometimes be confusing for the first 10 minutes or so trying to work out the relationship between the characters. Once I understood, however, it made the play much more enjoyable and clear.
Overall, I would recommend this play to anyone with an interest in connection, belonging and humanity. It shines a great spotlight on the underrepresented roles within society and the typical daily lives of people which are often under-sung.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Triple Bill: Everywhere played at the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse on April 5th, & is touring the U.K. until April 12th
