Idris Elba Backs "Relatable" West End Play Shifters: A Celebration of Black Love Story
British actor Idris Elba has praised the "relatable" nature of the romantic stage play *Shifters
following its debut in London's West End. Elba, who is co-producing the play alongside Love Island host Maya Jama and Mercury Prize and Brit-winning rapper Little Simz, highlighted the importance of diverse storytelling in theatre.
*Shifters*, which transferred from the Bush Theatre, features Heather Agyepong and Tosin Cole reprising their roles. The play, penned by Benedict Lombe, is running for nine weeks at the Duke of York's Theatre until October 12th. The production marks a significant milestone, as Lombe becomes the third Black British woman to have a play staged in the West End.
Speaking to the PA news agency, Elba emphasised the universality of talent, stating, "Talent is talent â black, white or indifferent, and itâs really good to just get people into the theatre and see new writing works like this in a way that actually can be relatable." He believes the play's love story, while subjective, has the potential to resonate with a wide audience.
Elba expressed his hope that the play would attract young audiences, as theatre had been an important part of his own early career. "You canât look at your phone. Youâve got to pay attention, and youâre going to see some beautiful writing and see some beautiful acting," he said. He praised the play's script, the performances of Agyepong and Cole, and the direction of Lynette Linton, adding that he feels "really proud" to be involved in the project.
*Shifters
tells the "epic and universal love story about the enduring power of memory and first love" between Des and Dre, two "young, gifted, black" characters who reconnect after years apart, carrying with them both new secrets and old wounds.
Lombe shared that the play's genesis came from a conversation with director Lynette Linton, who was adamant that a story like this needed to be told. "We were talking about the lack of Black British love stories and how it felt like there was a real gap in theatre," Lombe explained. She believes the play speaks to Linton's vision and her commitment to diversifying the theatre landscape by giving Black writers the opportunity to share their stories and perspectives.
Linton, in turn, hopes that the current surge of interest in Black storytelling will continue. "People talk about pivotal moments, people talk about a renaissance," she said. "It needs to continue, so that when you ask us in five years time, weâre not still going, oh thereâs only one story, or thereâs only two stories." Linton is striving to permanently alter the landscape of British theatre, making *Shifters
a defining work alongside classic plays like Shakespeare. She envisions a future where the stories of Black creatives are a natural and integral part of the British theatrical canon.
