Emele and Ayeesha are no strangers to subconscious stereotyping, especially when it comes to how people perceive their skin colour. Showing at The Joan, Black Birds is an innovative ensemble of stories from their lives that show the subversive marginalisation they experience due to the fact that they simply aren't white.
The production was developed through The Q's Artist in Residence program, and not only explores the the issues of race and gender stereotyping, but it also explores new ways of presenting them. The show isn't so much a play, or a talk, or anything like theatre goers are used to. Instead, it's a mixture of music and stories, dancing and poetry. It's frenetic, it's fast-paced — it's life.
The show aims to give audiences the chance to look into the lives of the storytellers and view the world from a different perspective. For many, it'll be a chance they've never had before, and one to be savoured.
Images: Alana Dimou.