Last December, playwright and filmmaker Fatima Ali Omar entered into a Royal Court Theatre writers programme, where the task was to pen a full play in six weeks. Less than a year later and her creation Off-Key has hit the stage, and is now on tour. And its next stop, Bristol Old Vic, is in for a very Brummie treat this week…
Words by Muznah Sh Farah
Off-Key is a play about ambition, Black girlhood, and friendship. In a Birmingham grammar school, Mannan Guled and Salma Muse star as best friends Sabrin and Ruqqiyah – each girl is the anchor in the other’s storm. At first, their shared frustration, in the form of hilariously unfiltered banter, is directed at the world (and one particularly bothersome teacher). Between their obsession with Paramore and their dreams of fame and fortune, the pair are a sweet reminder of being 17, young, and brazen. But before long, the stakes in their individual lives grow overwhelmingly high, and the protagonists clash in a friendship drama that is both painful and sobering.
Sitting in the audience at the Birmingham Hippodrome on preview night, just ahead of the show arriving in Bristol, I felt that I had been transported back to my own school canteen, and those inseparable girlfriends were having another one of their earth-shattering fallouts – the loud ‘ooh’s and ‘naaah’s from the audience certainly helped! The lady next to me gleefully commented that this play is ‘just so Birmingham!’
The Bristol Magazine sat down with writer Fatima, to ask what kind of play she wanted to create – and why it’s for everyone.
Can you tell us a little about Side eYe Productions.?
Fatima: So it’s a collective of theatre makers. I hadn’t really gone to the theatre much to be honest. Yeah, and I just remember like everyone and their mum was talking about ‘Dugsi Dayz this, this, this’ [Sabrina Ali’s award-winning play produced by Side eYe]. So I was like, let me tap in, let me see what the girls are saying! And then I went to watch it, and I just loved it so much. I think Sabrina is such a brilliant writer. Then, I was just like, how do I get involved in this?
So I just emailed Side eYe like, “I just want to be involved in any way. How can I get involved?” I just gave them a list of things I can do. “I’m a director. I’m a writer. How can I be a part of the crew?” And they were like, “Well, we’re looking for directors for our next play, Desperate Times.” Then they just took a chance on me!
Can you summarise Off-Key in as few words as possible?
It’s a good time. It’s a heartbreaking time. It’s an everything time.
How did you find the process of making Off-Key?
I think it’s been easy and hard and equal measure. I think easy because of the people that are on the team because I know them, like Khadra [Mohammed] and Hannah [Abdule], who are like the most brilliant producers – in my opinion, the best producers in theatre right now.
Who should come to see the play?
I think if you’ve ever been a dreamer, it’s for you. If you’ve ever had a best friend, it’s for you. If you’ve ever been a human being, it’s for you.
When I found out that we got Bristol Old Vic, it’s one of the venues I was most excited about. There’s such a phenomenal like history of playwrights and players that has been staged there. So I feel really honoured that Off-Key is also going to be there.
In a brief chat later on, star Salma agreed with Fatima:
A big part of the play, or a big theme is people just feel like their dreams are bigger than where they come from. I feel like that’s a big part of it, and loads of us can relate to that. I feel like loads of girls, not just Somali girls, anyone can really relate to that.
Side eYe Productions’ Off-Key is at Bristol Old Vic from 6-7 November. The last few tickets are still available online.
