Review: BLACCINE - FIRST DOSE, Sound Stage (Online)

Photo credit: Nigel R Glasgow

Blaccine: First Dose consists of three new monologues, co-produced by Stockroom and Pitlochry Festival Theatre in association with Naked Productions.

The three plays: The Process written by Maheni Arthur and performed by Michell Tiwo; Trigger Warning written by Tonderai Munyevu and performed by Stefan Adegbola; and Brixton Royalty written by Isaac Tomiczek and performed by Kiren Kebaili-Dwyer, give us three different aspects of the Black British community’s relationship with the Covid-19 vaccine.

When the Covid-19 vaccine take up in the Black British community began to appear in the media, speculation began and as Munyeva, Arthur and Tomiczek became curious - an urgent conversation was started. Through listening and talking openly about the varied and deeply powerful forces affecting the lives of Black people in the UK today, these dramatic pieces evolved.

Touching on complex realities, each story takes the listener on the individual’s journeys as we hear their innermost concerns and thoughts. The stories are sincere, truthful accounts of relatable worries and mixed anticipations about the Covid-19 situation which we can all understand.

Co-directed by Tonderai Munyeva and Debbie Hannan, these stories could be conversations overheard in a café or sneakily read in someone’s diary. They are so intriguing and significant that you can’t help but continue to listen in.

There are so many points of view and beliefs surrounding Covid-19 that the possibilities are endless, but focusing on a group of people that have been portrayed in a certain way in the media and really breaking it down to an individual perspective makes this writing even more important and appropriate in the need to be heard.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Rachel Louise Martin

Blaccine: First Dose is available to stream online on 12, 19 and 26 January at 7pm here.