Shifters is a modern telling of a complicated love story written by Benedict Lombe; a prodigious talent and only the third black British woman to have a play on the West End. With backing from Idris Elba, Maya Jama and Little Simz this is a production that deserves its transfer from the dynamic Bush Theatre.
From the start we’re introduced to Dre (Tosin Cole) and Des (Heather Agyepong); two black thirty somethings whose on-again, off-again relationship is as complex as it is delightful. The story begins on the day of Dre’s grandmother’s funeral, a moment that serves as both a catalyst and a backdrop for the unfolding drama.
Through transitions between past and present, denoted by colour switches from Neul Austin’s neon lighting, we learn about their intertwined history, from their initial bonding in debate club, to their short-lived teenage romance, to their separate, soul-searching adulthoods.
Lombe’s writing is sharp and nuanced, weaving humour and heartbreak into a seamless tapestry that is compelling in its refusal to offer easy resolutions. Dre and Des are fully realized characters—flawed, endearing, profoundly human and filled with an introspection that questions but rarely answers.
There is a sense of authenticity and relatability in them that is realised through the charismatic performances of Cole and Agyepong. The chemistry between the two actors is electric, capturing the tension and tenderness that has defined their characters’ relationship since they first met in a northern school as ‘two little Black kids destined to oppose each other’.
Their back-and-forth banter is channelled through Nigerian/Congolese cultural touch points of food and music and serves as a light-hearted mirror to the way in which the play philosophically wrestles with its themes.
This is an elegy for a relationship that never quite was, and its exploration of how the past can haunt the present feels undeniably close. But this is also a rom com that goes beyond love to examine family trauma, grief and abuse.
The interrogation of these ideas feels cerebral at times which is reflected by director Lynette Linton’s sparse staging. It’s a slow build, and whilst that crafts the familiarity the audience feels towards these star-crossed lovers, it perhaps delays their deeper moments a little too long.
It is a deepness worth waiting for however as this is a powerfully moving piece of theatre that lingers long after the final curtain. It’s a testament to Lombe’s talent that a story so specific in its details can feel so universal in its themes. This is a play that speaks to the heart, reminding us of the fragility of time and the enduring impact of the relationships that shape us.
Shifters is at Duke of York’s Theatre until 12 October; shifterstheplay.co.uk
