Ambreen Razia's THE DIARY OF A HOUNSLOW GIRL Launches UK Tour Today
By: BWW News Desk May. 04, 2016
Ambreen Razia with Black Theatre Live present THE DIARY OF A HOUNSLOW GIRL, written by Razia and directed by Sophie Moniram, will head out on a UK tour, running today, 4th May to 18th June 2016. Press night is slated for Friday 6th May at 7.30pm at Ovalhouse.
An acerbic comedy told through the sharp, straight-talking voice of an aspirational 16 year old British Muslim girl, this original work uncovers the typical life of a "Hounslow Girl" - young Muslim women who wear big hooped earrings along with their headscarves. Ambreen Razia's witty debut challenges stereotypes of young British Muslim women, exploring the demands of a traditional Muslim upbringing in the face of London's temptations.
Ambreen Razia offers an astute take on negotiating the hurdles of conservative family values alongside the challenges of teenage life in West London, retelling her experiences from traditional Pakistani weddings to teenage romance with a fast-paced narrative, The Diary of a HOUNSLOW GIRL's humorous approach seeks to upturn stereotypes and bridge generational rifts with a comic yet resonant approach to present-day dilemmas in the face of age-old tradition.
Speaking about the show, Ambreen said "As a British Pakistani writer and actress my aim was to create a story based on contemporary characters from my generation, and explore how young people of our generation deal with the different types of adolescent pressures whilst trying to assimilate their foreign identity with their British identity."
Ambreen Razia is a writer and actress from South London. She has performed at venues including The Old Vic, Ovalhouse, The National Theatre and has just finished filming with the BBC. Her recent credits include No Guts, No Heart, No Glory (2015), Mind The Gap (2015), After All This (2015) and BBC Three's Murdered by my Father (2016). This is Ambreen's debut play; originally commissioned by and performed at Ovalhouse in 2015 as part of their 33% London programme. Ambreen had previously performed The Diary of a HOUNSLOW GIRL as a monologue at Triforce's MonologueSlam UK in 2014.
Director Sophie Moniram is currently working as an Assistant Director at The Young Vic on their upcoming production of Strindberg's Creditors, and is a Creative Associate at the Gate Theatre. Her past work includes F**king Outside the Box (VAULT Festival) and The Five Stages of Waiting (Tristan Bates Theatre).
The creative team also includes Offie-nominated costume & set designer Petra Hjortsberg; dramaturg Neil Grutchfield, the New Writing Manager of Synergy Theatre Project; lighting designer Paul O'Shaughnessy; and independent arts producer Maeve O'Neill.
HOUNSLOW GIRL is the third production from Black Theatre Live, a pioneering consortium of 8 regional theatres committed to increasing the amount of Black and Ethnic Minority theatre on the touring circuit. It follows Black Theatre Live's previous success with Macbeth as well as the recent tour of Pitch Lake Productions' She Called Me Mother, starring Bafta award nominated actress Cathy Tyson.
Through a 3-year programme, Black Theatre Live will bring high quality performances from culturally diverse perspectives to venues across the country. The initiative is a partnership of Tara Arts (London), Derby Theatre, Queen's Hall Arts (Hexham), the Lighthouse (Poole), Theatre Royal Bury St. Edmunds, Theatre Royal Margate, Stratford Circus Arts Centre (London) & Key Theatre (Peterborough).
For more information, visit blacktheatrelive.co.uk or www.ambreenrazia.com.
Listings Information:
4 - 6 May Ovalhouse, London
52-54 Kennington Oval, London SE11 5SW
020 7582 7680 | www.ovalhouse.com
10 May South Hill Park, Bracknell
Ringmead, Bracknell RG12 7PA
01344 484 123 | www.southhillpark.org
12 May Lighthouse, Poole
21 Kingland Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1UG
0844 406 8666 | www.lighthousepoole.co.uk
13 - 14 May Theatre Royal Margate
Addington Street, Margate, CT9 1PW
01843 292795 | www.theatreroyalmargate.com
17 May The Drum, Birmingham
144 Potters Lane, Birmingham B6 4UU
0121 333 2444 | www.the-drum.org.uk
19 - 21 May Stratford Circus, London
Theatre Square, Stratford, London, E15 1BX
0844 357 2625 | www.stratford-circus.com
23 May Artaud Theatre, Brunel University, London
Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 3PH
01895 267 661 ex67661
24 - 25 May Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds
6 Westgate, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, 1P33 1QR
01284 769505 | www.theatreroyal.org
26 May Bradford Literature Festival
www.bradfordliteraturefestival.co.uk
28 May Hounslow Arts Centre
The Treaty Centre, High Street, Hounslow, Middlesex TW3 1ES
0203 7432329 | www.hounslowartscentre.co.uk
1 June Marine Theatre, Dorset
Church Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3QB
01297 442138 | www.marinetheatre.com
3 - 4 June Tobacco Factory, Bristol
Raleigh Rd, Bristol BS3 1FT
0117 902 0344 | www.tobaccofactory.com
7 June The Brewhouse Theatre & Arts Centre
Coal Orchard, Taunton, Somerset TA1 1JL
01823 283244 | www.thebrewhouse.net
9 June Upstairs at the Western, Leicester
The Western Pub, 70 Western Road, Leicester, LE3 0GA
10 - 11 June Key Theatre, Peterborough
Embankment Road, Peterborough, PE1 1EF
01733 207239 | www.vivacity-peterborough.com
14 - 15 June Queen's Hall Arts Centre, Hexham
Beaumont Street, Hexham, Northumberland, NE46 3LS
01434 652477 | www.queenshall.co.uk
16 June Unity Theatre, Liverpool
1 Hope Place, Liverpool L1 9BG
0844 8732888 | www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk
17 - 18 June Derby Theatre
15 Theatre Walk, St Peter's Quarter, Derby, DE1 2NF
01332 593939 | www.derbytheatre.co.uk
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