Why A Black Woman Will Never Be Prime Minister

Created out of frustration with the lack of attention towards Black women’s maternal health, writer and performer Zakiyyah Deen’s debut play scrutinizes how intersectionality and British politics contribute to the lived experiences of Black women's maternal journeys. A co-production with Camden People’s Theatre as part of their 30th anniversary season championing early-career artists, Why A Black Woman Will Never Be Prime Minister follows Shanice, a young black woman, from her first day at university, and John on his first day of his political campaign. Shanice proudly embodies all the things that John is not. She represents the people, while he represents the institution. Coming from two different worlds but the same area in London, an opportunity arises for these two worlds to collide, revealing their stark differences and uncanny similarities as the hypocrisy of public facing messaging around diversity compared to the reality comes to the foreground. Set over nine months, this piece explores intersectionality, British politics, and Black women's maternal health, fusing satire, spoken word, and narrative.