A new play exploring the everyday racism that occurs in Scotland is being presented by Glasgow’s Tron Theatre Company.
Created by Black Glaswegian writer, Joe McCann, Things My White Friends Say is an experimental piece of film-theatre, shining a light on racism faced by Scotland’s People of Colour.
Conceived in the light of George Floyd’s murder in the USA at the hands of white police and as the Black Lives Matter movement continues worldwide, McCann’s new work will be available on limited digital release from June 1-12.
Four actors of colour, Reuben Joseph, Laura Lovemore, Thandeka Muronzo and Jatinder Singh Randhawa, will take to the stage to articulate their own experiences of racism.
“After George Floyd’ s death I knew I wanted to write a piece on race, but specifically race in Scotland,” said McCann.
“There is a fallacy that racism doesn’t exist in Scotland, or that it isn’t as bad here as it is elsewhere.
“But that ’s just not true – I’ve been on the receiving end of racism in this country for as long as I can remember.
“It’s something that needs to be addressed and the reason why I want to write specifically about lived experiences of racism here.
“I want the play to be a call to arms and a wee part of a very long overdue reckoning.”
McCann also interviewed other People of Colour for a piece of verbatim theatre influenced by Gary McNair’s Locker Room Talk.
The play will present, confront, and challenge the views of a wide-ranging section of the white public from textile heiresses to policemen, MPs to journalists.
Heralding McCann as a “new, working-class voice” in playwriting, the Tron, with support from the Scottish Government’s Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund (PAVRF), are staging Things My White Friends Say as part of their lockdown programme of activity.
Support from the The PAVRF grant has enabled the Tron to support freelancers, including those under-represented in the sector, across a range of projects.
A post-show event for Things My White Friends Say ticket-holders will take place on Saturday, June 12 at 6pm.
Facilitated by Gillian Neish of Neish Training – whose work focuses on challenging the power inequalities of racism – the event will provide an opportunity for people who have been affected by the play to meet and discuss their thoughts and reflections in a safe facilitated session.
Things My White Friends Say, Free and On Demand, June 1-12
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