Theatre / Nancy Medina
Bristol Old Vic’s Weston Studio welcomes ‘Cheeky Little Brown’
Written by Papatango Prize-winning playwright Nkenna Akunna and directed by acclaimed playwright, screenwriter and poet Chinonyerem Odimba, the UK’s leading British African heritage theatre company Tiata Fahodzi is preparing to present the premiere of Cheeky Little Brown, which begins a three week run at Bristol Old Vic’s Weston Studio on September 21.
Now over 25 years old, the company’s rich seam includes development of work by Melanie Pennant, Arinzé Kene, Nathan Byron, Charlene Janes, Oladipo Agboluaje and Malaika Kegode.
More recently, it staged Black Love, a new musical written for Paines Plough and co-directed by Odimba, which toured in 2021 before a successful London revival the following year.
is needed now More than ever
Cheeky Little Brown is co-produced by Belgrade Theatre Coventry and Bristol Old Vic, and represents the first such co-production in newly appointed Bristol Old Vic artistic director Nancy Medina’s inaugural season at the helm.
Her decision to stage the show reflects a passionate commitment to putting on longer runs of new writing in the Studio space, and in so doing to build up local audiences.
“I fell in love with Nkenna’s lead character the first moment I read about her messy, human life with all its beautiful failings, humour and honesty,” she says. “To platform a Black, Queer female voice at this moment is so exciting.”
Chino Odimba – photo: Camilla Greenwell
The lead character in question is Lady, played by Tiajna Amayo – the sole actor on stage in the play. In a coming-of-age story of heartbreak, familiarity and self-acceptance, she takes us on a musical journey of a failed night out, exploring the changing friendship between herself and her oldest friend, Gemma.
For Odima, who describes the play as a “beautiful contemporary anti-romcom,” Akunna’s feat in writing Cheeky Little Brown is its synthesis of story, song and drama, together marking “how we celebrate the moments of growing into ourselves, no matter how painful or funny”.
Cheeky Little Brown is at the Weston Studio, Bristol Old Vic on September 21-October 14 at 8pm (no shows on Sunday), and then touring throughout October. Tickets are available at www.bristololdvic.org.uk.
Main photo: Myah Jeffers (photography); Parys Gardener (illustration)
Read more: Nancy Medina announces first season at Bristol Old Vic as new artistic director
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