Award-winning theatre company 20 Stories High’s latest production, Black, opens at the Liverpool Playhouse Studio on 28th January 2015 and then will tour nationwide.
Written by Keith Saha and Directed by Julia Samuels, Black is a provocative and engaging new show that digs deep at the heart of racial tensions in the U.K. today. With live D.J. soundscapes from Chunky (Riot Jazz /Hoya Hoya) and introducing the raw talent of Abby Melia, Black represents a real situation and puts the spotlight on a real issue.
Nikki doesn’t think her Dad is racist… he just cares deeply about his community. But when a Zimbabwean family move in over the road, the dog won’t stop barking… the local kids start lobbing stones… and her Dad starts laying down the law.
With the current rise of racist attacks in the U.K., and far right parties dominating the political agenda with issues around immigration, Black explores head on some of the difficult questions that are being raised.
Tensions rise, not only within the estate, but in Nikki’s family as their conflicting opinions and loyalty to each other threatens to tear them apart. This is a vital and challenging piece of theatre.
20 Stories High use the influences of the young people they collaborate with to attract new, young and diverse audiences to theatres in Liverpool and across the country and have a passion for creating thought-provoking work and pushing the boundaries of theatre. Black has been developed from HEADZ – a series of contemporary urban monologues written by Co-Artistic Director and award winning writer Keith Saha and first performed at the Playhouse Studio in 2014 by 20 Stories High Young Actors Company.
Writer Keith Saha said, “I wrote Black in response to real events that are taking place up and down the country. Racist attacks are on the rise and I think it’s crucial that we start to look at why this happening. Hopefully with Black it will open up the debate further and also prove to be a thoughtful and engaging piece of theatre for young adults and older audiences alike.”
Black will open at the Liverpool Playhouse Studio on Wednesday 28th January and then will go on tour ro Belfast, Peterborough, Manchester, Bolton, Huddersfield, Burnley, St Helens, London and will finish at The Mac Centre in Edgebaston, Birmingham on Friday 20th March.
Tickets for the Liverpool performance are on sale now from the Everyman/Playhouse Theatre Box offices, by telephone on 0151 709 4776 or online at www.everymanplayhouse.com. Tickets for each show are priced individually, please check venues and www.20storieshigh.org.uk for details.
To see a sneak preview of Black goto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FbDzKPru4A&feature=youtu.be