You never forget your first love and Shifters, written by Benedict Lombe and directed by Lynette Linton, captures that poignantly through the powerful and multifaceted acting performances of Des and Dre.
Des, played by Heather Agyepong, and Dre, played by Tosin Cole, start off as childhood friends. This friendship evolves into a beautiful but at times tumultuous love - but a love nonetheless, that stands the test of time, we soon discover.
The pair meet at age 16 and shift from strangers to friends and then to lovers and then not…..
When they reunite at Dre’s grandma’s funeral 16 years later, the love and friendship that they had cultivated is still palpable.
Now in their early 30s, their paths in life have taken them in different directions. Ironically, Des, whose full name is Destiny, does not believe in fate and as the play loops and shifts between the present and the past, we are invited to consider if their meeting is a coincidence, if they are destined to be together (or not), and if they have any control over their futures.
The love story
The performance, at The Duke of York’s Theatre in the West End on 21 August, was emotionally gripping, layered, familiar, very relatable, nostalgic and an important piece of contemporary writing.
What this pair experience over a 16-year stretch is condensed into 100 minutes of superbly charged acting. There is no interval (how do they remember all those lines?) and we, the audience, get a bird’s eye view into their relationship – warts and all.
Audiences are taken on a journey into their lives and memories that involves reliving trauma, abandonment, betrayal but also intense friendship, love, and laughter.
First love
The dialogue between the pair is playful, poetic, and light-hearted at the beginning, reminding me of that innocence of a first crush. The pair flirt, and flit between ‘being mates’ and wanting more.
After an intimate embrace or a kiss, Dre and Des follow it up with a pat on the back or a thumbs up – so inappropriate but we understand that it is meant to diffuse the sexual tension – making it all the more funny. Haven’t we all been in that situation?
The laughter
And speaking of humour, there is a lot in this play. When Dre said: “Our house looks like YOUR house gave birth to it,” we all got it and laughed as he drew a distinction between Des’ family’s relative affluence compared to his own family’s.
From start to finish, the audience’s reactions (and we were vocal throughout) was a visceral response to the sharp storytelling. When Des and Dre, at different points in the play, opened up about their personal traumas, we were there.
We laughed and cried with them, acknowledged the cultural references, and whooped them on when they had their first kiss. It felt like our reactions were part of that storytelling experience.
But it is not just the dialogue that keeps you energised in this play, it is the music, the staging, the lighting, and the deft use of props. They all keep you focussed on the dynamics between the couple.
What I particularly liked was how the audience is seated either side of the stage. I loved how the scene changes were dictated by transitions in lighting, music, and the actors’ movements. Even a single word was enough to connect a scene in the past to one in the present.
Cultural fusion
Seeing aspects of Congolese culture – the music and food - amplified in the play was also a refreshing change. Like Benedict (the playwright behind ‘Shifters’), Des is also British Congolese, while Dre is British-Nigerian. When was the last time you saw a love story between a British-Congolese and British-Nigerian couple?
That fusion between these Central and West African countries is a running theme that is revisited throughout the performance. And those unfamiliar with the Congolese singer Papa Wemba and Nigerian musical duo P Squared you got to hear and experience Des and Dre’s renditions of the dance moves!
Black British excellence
Seeing Shifters debut at the West End after originally being commissioned by and showcased at the Bush Theatre in West London earlier this year is a big deal.
It is a testament to the accomplished acting talent in the UK. Heather’s theatre credits include School Girls; or The African Mean Girls Play, Lyric Hammersmith and starred in the Amazon film The Power.
Meanwhile, Tosin is currently starring in the Netflix drama Supacell, but has featured in the BBC’s Doctor Who.
As Heather has previously stated: “Shows written by Black British women or plays centring two dark skin leads often don’t reach West End stages so it really feels like we’re part of a legacy.”
Benedict becomes the third Black British female playwright to have her play staged at a theatre in the 350-year history of theatre-going at the West End. She follows in the footsteps of Natasha Gordon (Nine Night) and Yasmin Joseph (J’Ouvert).
“Our stories in all their nuance and beauty have always mattered but it’s great to be on a bigger platform to allow them to shine a little brighter,” Heather added.
And she’s right. These stories mattered so much that on opening night, the queue was snaking outside the theatre.
Throngs of people gathered near the theatre’s entrance just to catch a glimpse of the brightest and best of Black British TV, theatre and film stars including Lashana Lynch (No Time to Die, The Woman King and Bob Marley: One Love), and Adjoa Andoh (Bridgerton) - to name but a few - who had also come in support.
These stories mattered so much that Shifters has been backed by actor-turned filmmaker Idris Elba, broadcaster Maya Jama and multi-award-winning lyricist Little Simz.
Go and watch it
This play will have you laughing, and even shedding a tear as you witness the pair’s ups and downs (the realities of life) told through a clever looping storyline.
Was their meeting fate? Are they destined to be together? Do we have just one soul mate? There’s still time to find out. The performance runs until 12 October. Visit The Duke of York's Theatre for more.
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