Why A Black Woman Will Never Be Prime Minister, Camden People’s Theatre

Photo by Ali Wright

Reviewed by Eleanor for Theatre and Tonic

Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review

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This debut play by Zakiyyah Deen is about marginalised groups in society and how passivity and inaction will never lead to lasting change. Produced in collaboration with Camden People’s Theatre and directed by Kelechi Okafor, this play follows nine months in the life of Shanice (played by Zakiyyah Deen) as she starts her first year of university and begins an internship with a local MP (Ryan Whittle). As she tries to make an impact and bring lasting change for her community, Shanice waivers on whether she should focus on her love of poetry or her passion for politics – and could a black woman ever be Prime Minister? 

I thought this play was pitch perfect. An emotive and powerful story which was very compelling. It is my favourite show that I have been lucky enough to see at this venue.  

Why A Black Woman Will Never Be Prime Minister’s writing is very naturalistic, with a believable plot and authentic characters. From the obnoxious politician to the caring mother, I think there are aspects to each character which anyone would be able to recognise or relate to. The plot overall was well paced. No scene lingered too long, but also gave space for characters to show deeper emotions or to capitalise on the more comedic moments. Each time there was a shift in time or place a new quotation would be projected on the back wall of the stage. This may seem simple but was incredibly effective. As the character of Shanice wrote her own poetry, Zakiyyah was able to naturally include poetic verses throughout this play. In some cases it was very distinct and obvious and in others it was more subtle but in every instance it enhanced the text and brought more meaning and emotion to the story. 

Zakiyyah had an amazing stage presence. She was able to land every joke and capitalise on the humour as written with brilliant physical comedy. She was also able to hold everyone's complete attention during the more emotive and personal scenes, where she is the only one on stage. I particularly loved the moments where Shanice would enter into the audience and speak to people directly, as this drew us into her story. She truly had everyone in that room in the palm of her hand. In addition, Ryan was an excellent opposing force as the politician John Gainsborough. His mannerisms and vocal tics are recognisable in many of the politicians today and he overplayed them to great effect. The two actors worked excellently together on stage, with the trial interview segment being a particular highlight. 

Other characters used in the play, such as Shanice’s boyfriend Rafiq and her lecturer, appear only as faceless voices through a telephone or laptop. The fact that we were still able to get a complete sense of these characters even though we never saw them is testament to the strength of the writing here. 

Overall, Why A Black Woman Will Never Be Prime Minister is an excellent showcase of authentic writing and well-paced storytelling. Each character felt relatable and fully realized, making the story both compelling and easy to connect with. The inclusion of poetry throughout was also incredibly clever. I came away truly considering the wider themes of the piece. I do hope this show is one I will see again. 

Why a Black Woman will never be Prime Minister is playing at Camden People’s Theatre from the 22nd October 2024 – 9th November 2024. 

★★★★★