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About
Two shows, ten new pieces.
The Side eYe Writers Group is a collective for Muslim writers, offering a dedicated space to develop original plays and experiment with form, genre, and narrative. Over the past year, members have been refining their voices and learning from leading playwrights, dramaturgs and directors.
Join us for our scratch nights, showcasing work-in-progress from the group. This is a rare opportunity to see new stories being shaped, hear emerging voices, and witness the creativity and imagination of writers building their craft.
This showcase is a part of Somali Week Festival and is supported by Kayd Somali Arts and Culture.
The Company
Credits
Writers - Amal Abdi, Adna Ahmed, Chakira Alin, Fatuma Khaireh, Hannah Abdule, Intisar Yusuf, Khadija Ahmed, Khai Ramli, Samira Musa, Sahra Warsame
Director - Poppy Clifford
Producer - Khadra Mohamed
About the Company
Side eYe is an award-winning theatre collective staging Muslim stories, led by Black Muslim womxn and their allies. They are drawn to new writing that is witty, absurd, political and truth-telling. Writing that resists pandering to the white gaze, and invites audiences to think, to feel, and to leave changed. Productions so far include; HOME (2019), Muna Knows It All (2021), Dugsi Dayz (2022) and Desperate Times (2023). Their shows have travelled from local community centres to the Edinburgh Fringe, Somali Week Festival, the Royal Court, Bristol Old Vic and Birmingham Hippodrome. Along the way, they’ve been supported by the Aziz Foundation, Arts Council England, Kayd Somali Arts Culture and their community.
Side eYe is more than its productions. They care about what happens outside the theatre which informs what they do inside it. The collective insists on dismantling barriers to theatremaking by bringing theatre into schools and leading post-show discussions. They run a free all year writers’ group, support new and emerging artists, and have a track record of securing professional careers for those who come through their doors. They also extend their work into film, TV and theatre consultancy.
Side eYe’s work has been featured in Rolling Stone, Reuters, BBC 1Xtra, Amaliah, The Times and more. Awards include the Untapped 2023 and the BBC Popcorn Award for Dugsi Dayz by Sabrina Ali.