Cast Set for the World Premiere of BRENDA'S GOT A BABY at New Diorama Theatre

Michelle Asante, Jordan Duvigneau, Jahmila Heath, Edward Kagutuzi and Anita-Joy Uwajeh have been announced as the cast of the world premiere of Brenda's Got A Baby, a new comedy about black womanhood, sisterhood, motherhood – and babyhood, from the makers of Queens of Sheba and For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy.

Anita-Joy Uwajeh (Cyrano De Bergerac, Jamie Lloyd Productions/West End; Twelfth Night, Shakespeare's Globe; Futy, Soho Theatre) leads the cast as Ama, whose break up from Dami played by Jordan Duvigneau (Anansi Boys, Amazon Prime; Mood, BBC Three; I Hate Suzie, Sky) leads her to asking big questions about the next stage in her life. Her sister Jade, performed by Jahmila Heath (Man Is Di Feast, Camden People's Theatre; Pocomania, Theatre Peckham) is settled and married to Skippy, played by Edward Kagutuzi (Liberian Girl, Royal Court; Manifesto, Ovalhouse), plus her mother, Michelle Asante (Top Boy, Netflix; Noughts & Crosses, BBC; Our Lady Of Kibeho, Theatre Royal Stratford East), is not making matters easier.

After an unexpected break-up and beaten down by comparison to her married little sister, Ama embarks on a crazed journey to become a mother. Rollercoastering from a Black sperm donor shortage to a racialised healthcare system - and an overbearing family of her own - Ama's charging head-first into embarrassing conversations, awkward encounters and defiant decisions. And time is running out...

New Diorama reunites with playwright Jessica Hagan (Queens of Sheba) and multi-award-winning company Nouveau Riche (For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy) for this bold, joyful world premiere.

Playwright Jessica Hagan said: ‘I'm thrilled to be working with New Diorama and Nouveau Riche again - both incredibly nurturing of my journey as a writer. This play was birthed through a pressing desire in me as a playwright and theatre-goer to make something spirited and audacious. While addressing critical contemporary issues in Black Women's lives, more than anything I want to offer our audiences a collective release, unrestrained laughter and a unified response to the craziness that happens on stage – so come on down and join us.'

Brenda's Got A Baby originates from New Diorama's 2022 Intervention01 programme, temporarily suspending public performances to invest in independent artists. The show's development included community workshops with Black women exploring experiences and norms around family and motherhood, as well as the startling reality that Black women in the UK are four times more likely to die in pregnancy and childbirth than white women.

This is the third collaboration between New Diorama and Nouveau Riche, and is directed by Anastasia Osei-Kuffour (Typical, Soho Theatre; On The Ropes, Park Theatre). Jessica Hagan's previous play Queens of Sheba won the New Diorama and Underbelly Untapped Award for its 2018 Edinburgh premiere, going on to win Stage and OffWestEnd Awards and transfer to London's Soho Theatre and New York's Under The Radar Festival.

TEAM

A Nouveau Riche and New Diorama co-production. Co-commissioned by New Diorama and Soho Theatre

Written by Jessica Hagan

Direction Anastasia Osei-Kuffour

Design TK Hay

Lighting Ben Jacobs

Sound Khalil Madovi

Dramaturgy Naomi Obeng

Producer for Nouveau Riche Sarah Verghese

PERFORMANCE DETAILS: 

Venue: New Diorama Theatre, 15 - 16 Triton Street, Regent's Place, London, NW1 3BF

Date: 31 Oct – 2 Dec, Tues-Sat

Times: 7.30pm; Sat, 3pm & 7.30pm.

Tickets: £19, £16 previews, £3 unemployed/on strike

Babes in arms performances: 2pm, Thu 16 & 30 Nov

Captioned: 7.30pm, Wed 22 Nov

Relaxed: 7:30pm, Thu 16 Nov

https://newdiorama.com/whats-on/brendas-got-a-baby

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