Written by Ambreen Razia and Directed by Sophie Moniram, the story of a British Muslim teenager faces a conflict of cultures in this coming of age comedy set in the heart of Hounslow and which comes to The Unity Theatre on June 16th.
An acerbic comedy told through the sharp, straight-talking voice of an aspirational 16 year old British Muslim girl, this original work uncovers the typical life of a “Hounslow Girl” – young Muslim women who wear big hooped earrings along with their headscarves. Ambreen Razia’s witty debut challenges stereotypes of young British Muslim women, exploring the demands of a traditional Muslim upbringing in the face of London’s temptations.
Ambreen Razia offers an astute take on negotiating the hurdles of conservative family values alongside the challenges of teenage life in West London, retelling her experiences from traditional Pakistani weddings to teenage romance with a fast-paced narrative, The Diary of a Hounslow Girl’s humorous approach seeks to upturn stereotypes and bridge generational rifts with a comic yet resonant approach to present-day dilemmas in the face of age-old tradition.
Speaking about the show, Ambreen said, “As a British Pakistani writer and actress my aim was to create a story based on contemporary characters from my generation, and explore how young people of our generation deal with the different types of adolescent pressures whilst trying to assimilate their foreign identity with their British identity.”
Ambreen Razia is a writer and actress from South London. She has performed at venues including The Old Vic, Ovalhouse, The National Theatre and has just finished filming with the B.B.C. Her recent credits include No Guts, No Heart, No Glory (2015), Mind The Gap (2015), After All This (2015) and B.B.C. Three’s Murdered by my Father (2015). This is Ambreen’s debut play; originally commissioned by and performed at Ovalhouse in 2015 as part of their 33% London programme. Ambreen had previously performed The Diary of a Hounslow Girl as a monologue at Triforce’s MonologueSlam U.K. in 2014.
The Diary of a Hounslow Girl is the third production from Black Theatre Live, a pioneering consortium of 8 regional theatres committed to increasing the amount of Black and Ethnic Minority theatre on the touring circuit. It follows Black Theatre Live’s previous success with Macbeth as well as the recent tour of Pitch Lake Productions’ She Called Me Mother, starring Bafta award nominated actress Cathy Tyson.
Through a 3-year programme, Black Theatre Live will bring high quality performances from culturally diverse perspectives to venues across the country. The initiative is a partnership of Tara Arts (London), Derby Theatre, Queen’s Hall Arts (Hexham), the Lighthouse (Poole), Theatre Royal Bury St. Edmunds, Theatre Royal Margate, Stratford Circus Arts Centre (London) & Key Theatre (Peterborough).
Tickets are priced at £14 with concessions available at £12. Tickets are available at the Box office on 0151 709 4988 or online at www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk.