July 16 – 6pm

Compound Conversations is part of a series of events, conversations, craft sessions and industry skills workshops at tiata fahodzi. Have you ever been told that your play isn’t mainstream or universal enough? What emotional or physical impact does such language have on artists and creatives?

We live in a country rich in culture, heritage, and imagination. However we know it can be challenging to navigate and find your unique voice. In this conversation we aim to explore dramaturgy, and the process of developing a play, and how to ensure healthy artists in a constantly changing world. This an opportunity to hear from two brilliant artists sharing and facilitating some of the ways they work with wellbeing at the heart of their practice.

WABRIYA KING
FACILITATOR
Wabriya graduated as an actress from The Oxford School of Drama in 2012. After several years working as an actress in a variety of roles, she decided to take her career in a different direction and graduated from the University of Roehampton with an MA in Dramatherapy in 2019. Since qualifying, she has worked alongside: Romeo & Juliet – SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE, The Death Of A Black Man- HAMPSTEAD THEATRE, Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner – THE ROYAL COURT THEATRE, Shuck n Jive- SOHO THEATRE, Sessions, May Queen, Black Love – PAINES PLOUGH

She believes that the arts have a responsibility to its performers to support their mental health wellbeing. This is clearly a shared belief as her work is gaining momentum within the sector.

ZODWA NYONI
FACILITATOR
Zodwa Nyoni is a Zimbabwean born screenwriter, director, playwright and poet.

Zodwa started writing poetry with Leeds Young Authors, a youth performance poetry organisation. She’s held poetry residencies at: Ilkely Literature Festival (2013), I Love West Leeds Festival (2010) and BBC Radio Leeds (2006). She has toured nationally and internationally, performing at venues such as British Museum, Venezuelan Embassy, Latitude Festival, Southbank Centre, eKhaya Multi Arts Centre (Durban), National Gallery Bulawayo (Zimbabwe), Nuyorican Poets Café (New York, USA) and Historic Hampton House (Miami, USA). She’s taught poetry and theatre workshops extensively for universities, schools, colleges, organisations and theatres.

In 2014, she won the Channel 4 Playwright’s Scheme with her play, Boi Boi is Dead. It was produced by Leeds Playhouse, Tiata Fahodzi, & Watford Palace Theatre in 2015; and was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize 2014/15.

Her theatre credits also include: Nine Lives (2014, Oron Mor), Phone Home (2016, Upstart Theatre, Pathos München & Highway Productions), Weathered Estates (2017, Hull City of Culture), Borderline (2017, Young Vic), Ode to Leeds (2017, Leeds Playhouse), Duty (2018,Paines Plough & National Trust) and Beneath the City (2019,Upstart Theatre) Her plays are published with Bloomsbury. She is currently under commission at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Kiln Theatre and LAMDA.

Her radio credits include: Conversations on a Bench : Leeds (BBC Radio 4), A Khoisan Woman (2019, Drama on 3) and Love Again (2016, BBC Radio 3).

Her first short film credits include, Mahogany (2018, National Trust/24 Design Ltd), On Belonging (2019, Young Vic), Notes On Being A Lady (2019,Tyneside Cinema/ BBC Arts), and The Ancestors (TBC, BBC Films/BFI Film Hub North).

https://tiatafahodzi.com/work-post/dramaturgy-and-wellbeing/