Full Breakdown
Revival of Ntozake Shange’s *for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf* at London’s Yard Theatre
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Core Production Details
The Yard Theatre in Hackney has reopened after a major refurbishment with a new staging of Ntozake Shange’s 1976 choreopoem *for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf*. Directed by Diane Page, the production runs without an interval for almost two hours and closes on 17 October. A British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted performance is slated for 24 September, and a captioned performance for 1 October.
Background & Context
Shange’s original work premiered on Broadway fifty years ago and introduced poetic monologues that blend dance, music, and spoken word to portray the lived experiences of Black women in the United States. This revival marks the piece’s first major London run, coinciding with its 50th-anniversary season. Earlier this year, Ryan Calais Cameron’s gender-swapped adaptation *For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy* enjoyed a West End run, highlighting the continued relevance of Shange’s themes.
Creative Team & Cast
- Director: Diane Page
- Choreographer: Ingrid Mackinnon
- Lighting Designer: Ali Hunter
- Composer/Score: Jammz
- Costume Designer: Cat Fuller
- Cast (five performers): Nadine Higgin, Tatenda Matsvai, Ibilola Rossi, Cherrelle Skeete, Alex Thomas-Smith
The production forgoes a traditional set, relying on movement, lighting, and music to shift between U.S. cities such as Chicago, St Louis, New York, and San Francisco.
Reception – Praise and Critique
Positive Assessment
One review calls the adaptation “visceral and relevant,” noting that Shange’s writing remains compelling under Page’s direction. The reviewer highlights the ensemble’s “full-throated, full-bodied performance,” the “infectious” music, and the “impressive” choreography, especially during Latin-dance sequences.
Critical Assessment
The lack of a set and the separation of dance numbers from monologues are cited as weaknesses. The critic observes that the emotional impact improves after the midway point, when choreography aligns more closely with the spoken material, and assigns a rating of two out of five stars.
Accessibility Initiatives
The Yard Theatre has scheduled a BSL-interpreted performance on 24 September and a captioned performance on 1 October, expanding access for Deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.
Data & Statistics
- Run dates: Until 17 October (scheduled)
- Performance length: Approximately two hours, no interval
- Cast size: Five actors covering all roles
- Technical elements: No set; lighting by Ali Hunter; choreography by Ingrid Mackinnon; music by Jammz; costumes by Cat Fuller
Impact and Significance
The revival brings Shange’s work to a new UK audience, reinforcing its legacy of addressing themes such as domestic abuse, HIV diagnosis, and identity. By pairing the original text with contemporary choreography and a modern soundtrack, the production underscores the piece’s continued resonance across generations and geographies.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Critical appraisals diverge on the effectiveness of the integration of movement and text. One review emphasizes emotional highs driven by the performers’ voices, while another contends that choreography and monologues remain disjointed for most of the run. No source provides audience-attendance figures or detailed demographic data, leaving the scale of public response unquantified.
