Based on the little-known, true story of Princess Dinubolu, Princess Essex is the funny and dynamic tale of the first black woman to ever enter a beauty pageant in the UK, written and performed by Southend's very own, Anne Odeke.
The play begins to the sound of the hymn, All Things Bright and Beautiful as we are introduced to Odeke’s first character, the slightly awkward and overwhelmed Eunice, as she makes her way from the back of the school hall and up on to the stage to give her Black History Month presentation. It's been a struggle to complete; she’s done an awful lot of Googling but she has eventually landed on a wonderful story which not only has its heroine based in Southend on Sea; but also happens to be very true.
Odeke then becomes Southender, Joanna, a young black girl who is in service under the bigoted Mrs Bugle and her well-to-do family. She spends many an hour sitting on the cliffs of Southend under the familiar watchful eye and pointed finger of Queen Victoria's statue; who she endearingly calls ‘Auntie Vic’.
Living amongst the ignorance of the privileged white folk, it becomes quite obvious to Joanna that black people are seen in the same vein as the pigmies who were paraded for all to see in travelling circus’s like PT Barnum’s, with the colour of their skin being deemed as ugly and therefore to be feared. After finding inspiration in a story told by her mother, she sets out to prove her worth and show the world that a black woman from Essex can be recognised as intelligent and beautiful, by pretending to be a Senegalese Princess. This is one Essex girl with some serious sass.
Odeke’s one woman show takes us on an hour long journey from 1908 to present day and is packed full of historic facts and re-enactments that are often hilarious, frequently shocking but consistently entertaining. There are lots of laugh out loud moments and Odeke certainly has comedy bones. Like all brilliant comedians, it can often be the moments where nothing is said that can bring the most laughter and she has mastered this skill splendidly.
Odeke plays every part convincingly and with conviction, taking in every nuance of each character in a seamless flow and she commands the stage for every second she is on it. She takes us from school girl, to adult, to mother, to Queen Victoria (yes, the statue), to mugger, to manager and members of the Kursaal committee. It's quite a ride; and all with the most simplistic of staging.
This is an outstandingly clever piece of theatre and writing, yet it comes with no pretentiousness. Everything about Odeke’s performance feels raw and real, portrayed with a heart laid bare but yet full of bravado.
It is a subliminal history lesson that all ages and cultures will benefit from seeing. We all think we know about black history, but do we? Has everything been documented, have we dug deep enough? Do we truly understand how a young black Essex girl could have possibly felt as a member of society in 1908? Could a black girl from Southend REALLY become a beauty pageant Queen?
Allow the bright, beautiful, wise and wonderful Anne Odeke aka Princess Essex to tell you how.
REVIEW: KIM TOBIN
See below for further dates and venues
The play begins to the sound of the hymn, All Things Bright and Beautiful as we are introduced to Odeke’s first character, the slightly awkward and overwhelmed Eunice, as she makes her way from the back of the school hall and up on to the stage to give her Black History Month presentation. It's been a struggle to complete; she’s done an awful lot of Googling but she has eventually landed on a wonderful story which not only has its heroine based in Southend on Sea; but also happens to be very true.
Odeke then becomes Southender, Joanna, a young black girl who is in service under the bigoted Mrs Bugle and her well-to-do family. She spends many an hour sitting on the cliffs of Southend under the familiar watchful eye and pointed finger of Queen Victoria's statue; who she endearingly calls ‘Auntie Vic’.
Living amongst the ignorance of the privileged white folk, it becomes quite obvious to Joanna that black people are seen in the same vein as the pigmies who were paraded for all to see in travelling circus’s like PT Barnum’s, with the colour of their skin being deemed as ugly and therefore to be feared. After finding inspiration in a story told by her mother, she sets out to prove her worth and show the world that a black woman from Essex can be recognised as intelligent and beautiful, by pretending to be a Senegalese Princess. This is one Essex girl with some serious sass.
Odeke’s one woman show takes us on an hour long journey from 1908 to present day and is packed full of historic facts and re-enactments that are often hilarious, frequently shocking but consistently entertaining. There are lots of laugh out loud moments and Odeke certainly has comedy bones. Like all brilliant comedians, it can often be the moments where nothing is said that can bring the most laughter and she has mastered this skill splendidly.
Odeke plays every part convincingly and with conviction, taking in every nuance of each character in a seamless flow and she commands the stage for every second she is on it. She takes us from school girl, to adult, to mother, to Queen Victoria (yes, the statue), to mugger, to manager and members of the Kursaal committee. It's quite a ride; and all with the most simplistic of staging.
This is an outstandingly clever piece of theatre and writing, yet it comes with no pretentiousness. Everything about Odeke’s performance feels raw and real, portrayed with a heart laid bare but yet full of bravado.
It is a subliminal history lesson that all ages and cultures will benefit from seeing. We all think we know about black history, but do we? Has everything been documented, have we dug deep enough? Do we truly understand how a young black Essex girl could have possibly felt as a member of society in 1908? Could a black girl from Southend REALLY become a beauty pageant Queen?
Allow the bright, beautiful, wise and wonderful Anne Odeke aka Princess Essex to tell you how.
REVIEW: KIM TOBIN
See below for further dates and venues
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Building on the success of last year's community tour of Tales From The Thames, Princess Essex will now also tour to venues in Grays, Aveley, Basildon, Pitsea and West Tilbury. The production is part of Creative Estuary Co-commissions – the initiative which SEACA LOGO 2020 aims to showcase 60 miles of the North Kent and South Essex region as one of the UK’s most dynamic and creative areas in the whole of the UK – working on this occasion with Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch (QTH). Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is excited to announce that Princess Essex will be going on tour to Essex community venues and audiences can see it for FREE |
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Princess Essex is written and performed by Anne Odeke. As a writer, Anne has recently represented Essex in Radio 4’s latest series United Kingdoms. She has also been commissioned by Storyhouse theatre in Chester, to write an adaptation of Little Women set in World War One which will play this coming summer at Grosvenor Park. As a performer, Anne has recently worked with the RSC, as well as Shakespeare’s Globe, the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, Birmingham Rep & the Royal Lyceum.
Southend-on-Sea, Essex. 1908. Tired of life, black Essex girl Joanna, decides to take matters into her own hands and enter herself into one of the country’s most prestigious beauty pageants, disguised as a Senegalese Princess. A true story, that not only asks us to question the misconception of the Essex girl, but invites audience members to consider who are the gate keepers of history and why have so many incredible black stories been hidden.
Princess Essex will first open at The Mercury Theatre Colchester before it then tours South Essex from 26 February to 11 March. The venues and locations have been chosen as places where local people rarely, if ever, have the opportunity to see live theatre performed. Princess Essex will play at the Queen’s Theatre, Billet Lane, Hornchurch on 27 February. Tickets for the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch event will cost £10* and the March events will be FREE (ticket still required). To book, call the Box Office on 01708 443333 or book online at www.queens-theatre.co.uk
Southend-on-Sea, Essex. 1908. Tired of life, black Essex girl Joanna, decides to take matters into her own hands and enter herself into one of the country’s most prestigious beauty pageants, disguised as a Senegalese Princess. A true story, that not only asks us to question the misconception of the Essex girl, but invites audience members to consider who are the gate keepers of history and why have so many incredible black stories been hidden.
Princess Essex will first open at The Mercury Theatre Colchester before it then tours South Essex from 26 February to 11 March. The venues and locations have been chosen as places where local people rarely, if ever, have the opportunity to see live theatre performed. Princess Essex will play at the Queen’s Theatre, Billet Lane, Hornchurch on 27 February. Tickets for the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch event will cost £10* and the March events will be FREE (ticket still required). To book, call the Box Office on 01708 443333 or book online at www.queens-theatre.co.uk
Princess Essex Promo from Sam Swainsbury on Vimeo.
LISTINGS
Tyrells Hall Working Men’s Club, Grays, RM17 6EY
Date and time: Tuesday 1 March at 7.30pm
Tickets: Free (ticket still required)
www.queens-theatre.co.uk
Aveley Community Hub, RM15 4BY
Date and time: Thursday 3 March at 7.30pm
Tickets: Free (ticket still required)
www.queens-theatre.co.uk
The Place, Pitsea Leisure Centre, Basildon, SS13 3DU
Date and time: Saturday 5 March at 7.30pm
Tickets: Free (ticket still required)
www.queens-theatre.co.uk
Wat Tyler Centre, Pitsea, SS16 4UH
Date and time: Sunday 6 March at 2pm
Tickets: Free (ticket still required)
www.queens-theatre.co.uk
West Tilbury Village Hall, RM18 8UD
Date and time: Friday 11 March at 7.30pm
Tickets: Free (ticket still required)
www.queens-theatre.co.uk
Tyrells Hall Working Men’s Club, Grays, RM17 6EY
Date and time: Tuesday 1 March at 7.30pm
Tickets: Free (ticket still required)
www.queens-theatre.co.uk
Aveley Community Hub, RM15 4BY
Date and time: Thursday 3 March at 7.30pm
Tickets: Free (ticket still required)
www.queens-theatre.co.uk
The Place, Pitsea Leisure Centre, Basildon, SS13 3DU
Date and time: Saturday 5 March at 7.30pm
Tickets: Free (ticket still required)
www.queens-theatre.co.uk
Wat Tyler Centre, Pitsea, SS16 4UH
Date and time: Sunday 6 March at 2pm
Tickets: Free (ticket still required)
www.queens-theatre.co.uk
West Tilbury Village Hall, RM18 8UD
Date and time: Friday 11 March at 7.30pm
Tickets: Free (ticket still required)
www.queens-theatre.co.uk
The team behind the project include: Director - Robin Belfield (RSC), Assistant Director - Michelle Payne (Squad Goals), Designer - Gemma Compton (All my Sons, QTH), Lighting Designer - Ben Garcia (Museum of the Homeless), Sound Designer - Hattie North (Shuga Fixx vs the Illuminati), Technical Stage Manager - Jade Ayres (Peter Pan). The play has been created with public funding from Arts Council England.
The show is also in partnership with Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, The Mercury Theatre Colchester and the South Essex African Caribbean Association (SEACA). The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport funds the Cultural Development Fund which is administered by Arts Council England.
The show is also in partnership with Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, The Mercury Theatre Colchester and the South Essex African Caribbean Association (SEACA). The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport funds the Cultural Development Fund which is administered by Arts Council England.