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| THE VOICE MARCH 2023
Celebrating Our Sistahs
‘I can relate to being put in a box’
PUTTING THE WORK IN: Anastasia Osei Kuffour is working alongside playwright Roy Williams for All Roads
Director Anastasia Osei Kuffour says that themes in her latest project, All Roads, speak volumes. By Joel Campbell
D
IRECTOR ANASTASIA Osei Kuffour said she was excited to be directing All Roads, a story she says “centres on two global majority young people navigating what it means to be Black, young and in love – all themes I’m drawn to as a young Black woman myself”. The production represents a milestone for Kuffour as it’s the first time she will be working with Black British playwright Roy Williams OBE in this capacity. The world premiere of Williams’ new play will be presented by the Attic Theatre Company in partnership with Tramshed and in association with Theatre Peckham and Bernie Grant Arts Centre. Just over a decade since Kuffour decided to follow her passion for theatre, she tells Lifestyle that the little girl out there who wants to find her place in the industry, but doesn’t want to be an actor, should take note of how things developed for her. “I’ve been directing for just over eleven years now and I
started off when I did Introduction to Directing which was a course at the Young Vic Theatre. “Those two weeks opened my eyes to what directing was and ignited a passion in me to pursue it professionally.” She added: “Before that I was pursuing a career in Business Law, having had a passion for drama and theatre in school but not being told about directing.
AMAZING
“Realising that I didn’t want to perform, I didn’t know what I wanted to do until I happened to do that course at the Young Vic. “When I discovered it and thought, ‘Oh God, this is amazing, this is something I can do for the rest of my life’, then I began the journey of learning the craft of directing so I assisted a lot and I think that’s what I would advise young budding directors to do. “Get into the room of a more experienced director and learn what they do and you can pick up their techniques and their exercises and you also get a great
insight into how productions are made and it really helps your development as a director. “I did that for a number of years and then began to direct my own productions and I set up my own production company called Wrested Veil to be able to raise some money and put that show on in 2017. “It is quite challenging to do what I am doing currently, especially directing in theatre because financially it is challenging to make a living. “I think the assisting route was made possible because I was able to connect with the Young Vic and then I visited lots of theatres and looked at their websites to see if there were opportunities to assist. “I did lots of applications and tried to connect with lots of directors who I admired. “It does take some graft to get there and to climb but once you can get assisting, then you get into buildings and you get people knowing you more.” Williams is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning
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writer whose plays have been produced in theatre such as the National Theatre, Royal Court and Lyric Hammersmith. He has also written for Television and Film with companies such as Channel 4, BBC and Sky. Williams’ work includes an adaptation of Death of England, Sucker Punch, Category B, ays of Significance, oe uy, There’s Only One Wayne Matthews, Baby Girl and Wildfire. Ahead of the All Roads theatre run he told Lifestyle he was looking forward to seeing how the work is received. But is Kuffour feeling the pressure to deliver? She enthused: “I’m not actually feeling the pressure because it’s been a lovely experience working with Roy. “I have worked with Roy before. He is one of the regular writers for faith, Hope and Glory which is a BBC Radio Four drama and it’s an ongoing series. “I had the pleasure of working with him on series three on one of the episodes that he wrote, and that was a really fun experience. We continue to work together on that series.” She added: “But this is the first time I have worked with him on a theatre project and so I am really excited about that and so far we have had some great discussions about the script and how to develop the script and get it to the best it can be.” The two-hander play will feature actors Kudzai Mangombe and Tristan Waterson. Having never worked either
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Kuffour said both shone in the auditions process and she was looking forward to getting stuck into rehearsals. “When I’ve worked with actors that I have really enjoyed working with and felt they were professional and really executed the job well, then I am always happy to work with them again but it’s a situation where I come to each story and think about who is the best person, or people who could bring it to life.
PROCESS
“We went through a casting process and the people that we chose are the people that felt the best and the most right for those characters and it just so happens that I haven’t worked with them before.” Jonathan Humphreys, Attic‘s Artistic Director and joint CEO, said: “We’re so excited to be able to announce this project which we have been developing for the past couple of years with Roy Williams. “Central to our vision is touring work to new, diverse audiences in London and across the UK. Producing a world premiere from Roy and touring it to four leading venues across London is a fantastic project for us. “We cannot wait to share this beautiful new play with audiences.” Sharing what about the writing in All Roads she was most drawn to, Kuffour said: “There is a character called Chantel in the play and she talks to us, talks
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to the audience and we see her journey, the things that she has gone through, the romantic relationship she is involved in. “You see her journey as a young teenager sort of in love and working out whether that love is right and feels right for her and whether that love for the person is enough. “I can totally relate as a Black woman, kind of, figuring out love myself. “You’re working out whether a particular person is for you and you’re working out whether the way you are being treated is the right way or the way that you want to be treated, and so that is part of Chantel’s journey. “She’s also trying to throw off stereotypes and throw off ways that she has been categorised and the box that people try to put her in. “I totally relate to trying to throw off boxes that people try to put me in.”
All Roads tours in 2023 at four London venues: l Tramshed: March 9-11, 2023 l New Wimbledon Theatre March 14-18, 2023 l Theatre Peckham: March 22-26 2023 l Bernie Grant Arts Centre: March 29-April 1, 2023 l Attic will host postshow talks on March 10, 16 and 24, 2023, with playwright Roy Williams.
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