Stage Review HOME GIRL at Derby Theatre
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| CAST MEMBERS OF HOME GIRL play at Derby Theatre Summer 2022 |
Stage Review of HOME GIRL
‘Much positivity in the room on press night’ Debra Hall theatre critic.
What a response!!! We opened #homegirl this eve and the diverse audience of mainly young people LOVED it!!! Well done @brixtonbard @NathanPowell141 @saraarain @BrynHolding @marthapgodber @helenarimmer @duanehannibal @TheAndreaDavy @KSpence17 @AprilNJHudson @LisaTheAllen pic.twitter.com/BgkCrbvBqO
— Sarah Brigham (@SarahBrigham) July 8, 2022
There are many individuals and groups that are represented in this wonderful celebration of community and collaboration, with the arts funded Future Creatives young performers project sitting at the heart of it all. A project in which:
'...each young person is being mentored by a professional who works and specialises in each area’.
Therefore, all agents involved albeit professionals, creatives; technical staff; care-experienced young people and young theatremakers, have worked proudly and supportively together to bring Alex Wheatle’s story, Home Girl, to stage.
Naomi, a teenage girl in the care system, meets with her social worker, Louise, who assigns her to temporary foster care. Naomi settles in with the Golding family quite nicely. Mrs Golding recognises Naomi’s natural talent for dance and signs her up to dance classes. Therefore, Naomi’s placement appears to be successful, until a visitor to the Golding household casts doubt on the situation.
Naomi’s loneliness and insecurities are revealed throughout, and a Meercat softie acts as her comforter. The Meercat is dually represented, a cast member appears alongside in these scenes.
The narrative is designed to be light in mood, and so the difficult scenes are only momentarily sombre. The tragic elements are told by memory recall, or are relayed by characters after an ‘event’ has taken place. Comedy seems to take precedence; however, it does feel wrong to laugh sometimes.
Music and dance are the real fun elements, and modern day moves and grooves are set to disco music of the 70s.
When the summary of Naomi’s story to date is recognised and her optimism for a bright future is conveyed at the play's end, it was obvious that the emotions of some members of the ensemble cast were visibly stirred. After all, Home Girl was due to be performed at Derby Theatre during summer 2021, but had to be cancelled, so acknowledging that all concerned must be thrilled to see it finally happen. A high percentage of the audience too, were openly demonstrating just how invested they are in Home Girl.
08 July, 2022 at 19.00 hrs.
This review of Home Girl by Theatre Critic, Debra Hall, who attended the press (and the first of two) performances at Derby Theatre
Alex Wheatle (writer)
Nathan Powell and Sarah ‘Rain’ Kolawole (stage adaptors)
Sarah Brigham and Bryn Holding (co-directors)
Kevin Jenkins (Set and Costume Designer)
Lucy James and Rukus (Sound Design and Composers)
Alexandra Stafford (Lighting Designer)
Natasha Cover (Assistant Director)
Lucy Wild (Movement Directors) plus the Future Creatives creative team.
Therefore, all agents involved albeit professionals, creatives; technical staff; care-experienced young people and young theatremakers, have worked proudly and supportively together to bring Alex Wheatle’s story, Home Girl, to stage.
Naomi, a teenage girl in the care system, meets with her social worker, Louise, who assigns her to temporary foster care. Naomi settles in with the Golding family quite nicely. Mrs Golding recognises Naomi’s natural talent for dance and signs her up to dance classes. Therefore, Naomi’s placement appears to be successful, until a visitor to the Golding household casts doubt on the situation.
Naomi’s loneliness and insecurities are revealed throughout, and a Meercat softie acts as her comforter. The Meercat is dually represented, a cast member appears alongside in these scenes.
The narrative is designed to be light in mood, and so the difficult scenes are only momentarily sombre. The tragic elements are told by memory recall, or are relayed by characters after an ‘event’ has taken place. Comedy seems to take precedence; however, it does feel wrong to laugh sometimes.
Music and dance are the real fun elements, and modern day moves and grooves are set to disco music of the 70s.
When the summary of Naomi’s story to date is recognised and her optimism for a bright future is conveyed at the play's end, it was obvious that the emotions of some members of the ensemble cast were visibly stirred. After all, Home Girl was due to be performed at Derby Theatre during summer 2021, but had to be cancelled, so acknowledging that all concerned must be thrilled to see it finally happen. A high percentage of the audience too, were openly demonstrating just how invested they are in Home Girl.
08 July, 2022 at 19.00 hrs.
This review of Home Girl by Theatre Critic, Debra Hall, who attended the press (and the first of two) performances at Derby Theatre
**ENDS**
Alex Wheatle (writer)
Nathan Powell and Sarah ‘Rain’ Kolawole (stage adaptors)
Sarah Brigham and Bryn Holding (co-directors)
Kevin Jenkins (Set and Costume Designer)
Lucy James and Rukus (Sound Design and Composers)
Alexandra Stafford (Lighting Designer)
Natasha Cover (Assistant Director)
Lucy Wild (Movement Directors) plus the Future Creatives creative team.
Future Creatives
the Home Girl project is an initiative which offers a range of performance and hands-on opportunities for young people aged 14-25 to be involved in different stages of the creative and production process, including performance, set and costume design, lighting, production, marketing, film and photography. Future Creatives is part of Reimagine, one of 5 National pilot programmes, funded through Arts Council England and DMCS as part of the Youth Performance Partnership Fund.
Our Future Creatives young performers are: Paisley, Sharyna; Georgia Anderson; Tom Carlisle; Drew Green; Bry Griffths; Alex Etheridge; Zoe Fowkes; Ursule Jancenkovaite; Shannon John; Oliver Manley; Chloe Ridgers; Scarlett Robinson-Stanley and Riley Sheehan-Moore.
The Future Creatives working as part of the creative team are Anisa Archer (Writer); Nicole Chang (Costume Designer); Sam Evans (Lighting Designer); Jamie Hallett (Producer); Emma White (Set and Costume Designer) and Essa (Filmmaker).
References:
Derby Theatre Press release 22nd June 2022: Home Girl by Alex Wheatle MBE Produced in collaboration with care-experienced young people
Online:
Derby Theatre https://www.derbytheatre.co.uk/
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