Following her five-star solo show WHITE, Koko Brown now brings the world premiere of GREY, the second instalment of her Colour Trilogy, to Ovalhouse this summer.
This autobiographical new show candidly explores depression and challenges the taboos which so often obscure black women’s mental health. But, this is not a production about suffering from depression, this is a show about living with it.
Koko is a strong, independent, black woman. She has a roof over her head. She has food in her fridge. She lives a good life. She’s also a little bit sad, a lot of the time. She doesn’t understand why.
Numerous studies have found that black people are bearing the brunt of a global mental health crisis and GREY is an urgent piece of multidisciplinary theatre which opens its arms to comfort.
GREY is written in Koko’s inimitable lyrically powerful blend of spoken word and vocal looping. The show also stars Sapphire Joy (Imogen, Shakespeare’s Globe; Casualty, BBC). Working with movement director, Shelley Maxwell, it is also fully British Sign Language integrated and this has been made creatively and theatrically integral to the performance.
As part of the run at Ovalhouse, there will be a discussion about Accessibility in Theatre, hosted by Georgia Dodsworth with panellists made up of black, female industry professionals, as well as a poetry workshop led by poet and journalist Bridget Minamore.
The Lost Kids Collective will also present a free, BSL interpreted night of performances with Sounds, Signs and Spoken Word which will feature live music and poetry. And, for one night only, it will be possible to experience the first two parts of The Colour Trilogy in a double bill matinee on Saturday 13th July.
When: 27th June – 13th July 2019, at 7.30pm
Where: Ovalhouse, 52-54 Kennington Oval, London SE11 5SW
£: Tickets cost £16 (£10 for concessions and previews)
More info: www.ovalhouse.com