Migration And Racism Tackled In THE INCIDENT, A New Play By Joakim Daun At Canada Water Theatre

The Incident is an award-winning theatrical performance written by Swedish playwright Joakim Daun, which asks whether love can keep two people together when the stakes are raised and tackles belonging, migration, racism and power through an intimate love story spanning Sweden and Zimbabwe.

"Why do I have to represent a whole race when I just want to represent me?"

How 'progressive' are people really, when they're confronted with difficult choices? How far are people willing to go to understand people with different cultural and ethnic backgrounds? The Incident explores the realities of living in a different culture, far from family, support, and tradition. It takes a closer at who we allow to belong in our societies and what it means to be an ambitious, non-white woman in a mostly white male dominated society.

The Incident was created collaboratively between Swedish writer Joakim Daun and American dramaturge Zoë Guzy-Sprague. The play premiered at the Harare International Festival of the Arts, Zimbabwe in 2017 and was part of the main stage program at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, South Africa 2018 where it was directed by Elizabeth Zaza Muchemwa. The London run is directed by acclaimed Tonderai Munyevu and Arne Pohlmeier at Two Gents Production and stars Swedish Actor David Weiss and British actress Cassandra Hercules.

Awarded Outstanding Theatrical Production at 2018 Zimbabwean NAMA awards

Writer Joakim Daun is a Swedish theatre maker with a background in human rights. He holds an MA in writing for performance from Goldsmiths, University of London. Dramaturg Zoë-Guzy Sprague is an American dramaturge based in London. She works as a freelance dramaturge, writer and creative writing facilitator and is currently a member Orange Tree's Writer's Collective in London.

Tonderai Munyevu is the co-artistic director of Two Gents Productions for whom he has appeared in Kupenga KwaHamlet (Oval House/Watermill), Magesti (Harare Rep/Rich Mix) and Two Gentlemen of Verona (Shakespeare's Globe and international tour). Arne Pohlmeier is a director and theatre maker and mainly directs & produces work for Two Gents Productions.