Illustration by Candice Purwin
Meet Mrs: an old lady who goes into outer space... in search of her own orgasm. Isn’t that where all orgasms go?
Her quest is sparked by three encounters: a young neighbour who discloses a secret, an old friend who reveals she is intersex, and a would-be lesbian lover in a launderette who offers Mrs two drops of her own pressed lavender and a smile that says ‘I handle delicates with care’.
Told through one woman and a live DJ, with projected animation and captions, STARS is a moving and joyful, sensitive yet funny Afrofuturist odyssey that, on
two late nights, transforms into a celebratory club night, with multiple DJs and accessible for all.
A ‘concept album on stage’, the hugely original STARS is the latest jewel from internationally acclaimed theatremaker, artist and Alfred Fagon award-winner Mojisola Adebayo. Previous works include Family Tree (ATC, Belgrade Theatre Coventry, and Brixton House 2023), Nothello (Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, 2022), Muhammad Ali and Me (2008 and 2016), I Stand Corrected (2012) and Moj of the Antarctic (2005) (Ovalhouse, London).
A Tamasha and ICA co-production.
Cast
Mojisola Adebayo (BA, MA, PhD, FRSL, FHEA) has been making theatre internationally for 30 years, from Antarctica to Zimbabwe. Mojisola’s own plays include Moj of the Antarctic: An African Odyssey (Lyric Hammersmith), Muhammad Ali and Me (Ovalhouse), 48 Minutes for Palestine (Ashtar Theatre, Ramallah), Desert Boy (Albany Theatre), The Listeners (Pegasus Theatre), I Stand Corrected (Artscape, South Africa), The Interrogation of Sandra Bland (Bush Theatre), Wind / Rush Generation(s) (National Theatre) and Nothello (Coventry Belgrade). Publications include Mojisola Adebayo: Plays One and Plays Two (Oberon Books) and the co-written Theatre for Development Handbook (Pan Arts). Black British Queer Plays and Practitioners: An Anthology of Afriquia Theatre (Bloomsbury Methuen), co-edited with Lynette Goddard, is out in October 2022. Mojisola is a Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, a mentor, Associate Artist of Black Lives Black Words, AICRE, Pan Arts and the Building the Anti-Racist Classroom collective and an Honorary Fellow of Rose Bruford College. She is currently on a fellowship at the University of Potsdam, Germany, commissioned by Counterpoint Arts and is a Writer-on-Attachment to the National Theatre (UK). Mojisola’s play Family Tree won the Alfred Fagon Award for Best Play of 2021. Following work-in-progress performances at Greenwich and Docklands International Festival with ATC and Young Vic, Family Tree premieres at Belgrade Coventry and Brixton House, March 2023, (ATC). STARS premieres at the ICA before a national tour. mojisolaadebayo.co.uk
MRS and all other characters: Debra Michaels
Debra trained at Webber Douglas. Her theatre credits include: Sister Sandrine/Marie in The DaVinci Code, Vernice in Strange Fruit at The Bush; The Empress in Aladdin at Milton Keynes; Maria in Man of La Mancha; Mrs Alexander/Various in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at National Theatre/UK Tour; Manny/Myrtle in Red Snapper at Belgrade Theatre; Fairy Godmother in Cinderella at Lyric Hammersmith; Sadista in Sleeping Beauty at The Northcott Theatre; Mama Morton in CHICAGO. Debra has worked as a Musical Director on The Wiz at Riverside Studios and Singing Bridges for LWT, and as vocal coach on McDonalds Our Town Story at The Dome. She also co-created and choreographed The Wedding Dance which premiered at Bolton Octagon prior to a tour.
Debra also teaches Salsa and Latin Dance.
DJ Michael Manners: Bradley Charles
Bradley Charles is a DJ, performer, and dancer. Recent credits include Sylvia (Old Vic), In the Willows (Metta Theatre), and Move It 2022 with FLAWLESS Dance Company. His stage credits also include roles at theatres including the National Theatre, Barbican, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Sadler’s Wells, Peacock Theatre, and Bristol Old Vic and with companies including Boy Blue Entertainment, Impact Dance, and ZooNation. He was Artistic Director of ZooNation Youth Company from 2019 – 2021 and is currently the company’s mentor and wellbeing officer. He was Dance Captain for the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony ‘Thanks Tim’ and Associate Choreographer for Hex (National Theatre). Bradley is a DJ in the UK and internationally, including being resident DJ for Acting Up, Lovers and Friends and UDO Dance Competition, at events for Newham Council including The Mayor’s Showcase festival (Central Park) and Bike fest (Barking Park), and as part of The 3D Network.
Creative Team
Writer: Mojisola Adebayo
Directors: Gail Babb and S. Ama Wray
Designer: Miriam Nabarro
Lighting Designer: Nao Nagai
Animation Artist: Candice Purwin
Music Direction: Debo Adebayo
Creative Captions: Stephen Lloyd
Video Consultant: Gillian Tan
Costume Associate: Maariyah Sharjil
Production Therapist: Dawn Estefan
Production Team
Production Manager: James Dawson
Production Manager (cover): Josephine Tremelling
Company Stage Manager (on the book): Alison Pottinger
Cast
MRS and all other characters: Debra Michaels
Michael Manners: Bradley Charles
no. 236848.