G

By Tife Kusoro

“We just have to wait for the Gullyman to show his face”    

Classmates Khaleem, Joy, and Kai come face-to-face with Baitface the Gullyman, a mystical figure who steals the faces and identities of Black Boys. All it takes is walking beneath a pair of trainers thrown over a telephone wire.

G is a mysterious, new, coming-of-age play from award-winning playwright Tife Kusoro.

Inspired by childhood urban legends and afro-surrealism, G is the winner of the 2023 George Devine Award for plays and is directed by Monique Touko (School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play).

G is a co-production with SISTER.

Reviews

★★★★★ '‘G is a great example of a quality writer and director working in complete sync. It is so stylistically consistent.”

All That Dazzles

★★★★★ '‘It speaks to Monique Touko’s incredible direction that so many different elements have been  brought together in such a way that you never feel it is overcrowded, but rather feel like there is a  sense of urgency that hooks you from the first moment all the way through to the end.”

Theatre & Tonic

★★★★ “Under the direction of Monique Touko, non-realism is mixed into ordinary life in audacious ways”

Guardian

★★★★ “G, directed by Monique Touko, is both a simple story told well and a multi-layered social commentary that will have audiences talking and debating all the way home.”

What’s On Stage

★★★★ “What Monique Touko’s production has going for it in spades is atmosphere; what Kusoro’s text has is imagination.

Time Out

★★★★ “With stunning direction by Monique Touko, G is a brilliant supernatural cautionary tale”

Broadway World

Wedding Band: A Love/ Hate Story in Black and White By Alice Childress

Set in the deep south of the USA in 1918 when interracial marriage was illegal, Julia, a black seamstress, and Herman, a white baker, are defying all odds with their secret love.

They face vicious judgement not just by society but also their closest friends and family. As they finally begin to believe their dreams for a future together are possible, Herman becomes a victim of the Spanish flu. Determined to save him, Julia is faced with decisions that will change her life.

Award-winning American playwright Alice Childress’ Wedding Band is a searing and powerful masterpiece which offers a stark reflection of the reality she was writing in during the Civil Rights era. It explores themes of race and class, questioning the devastating impact of unjust laws on ordinary human lives.

This moving and emotive drama will be directed by Monique Touko following her smash-hit success School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play at the Lyric.

Reviews

★★★★★ ‘It’s well cast, well-acted and with direction from Monique Touko, it’s just such a good show’

Afridiziak

★★★★ ‘This is a play that leaps through the decades to grab you by the throat. Remarkable’

‘It’s an exhilarating find, blending politics, prejudice, social realism, melodrama and romance. Monique Touko’s swaggering production leans into the contradictions.’
Evening Standard

★★★★ ‘An important, affecting revival that will no doubt introduce many to the power of Childress’s work’

Guardian

★★★★ ‘Touko has launched it into the present, giving her actors the space to make their characters overflowing, wholes. What a way to give this play its first London entrance.’ 

Time Out

★★★★ ‘This elegant revival, directed by Monique Touko … has a lush, feverish intensity’

The Stage

★★★★ ‘An accomplished, openly political project that should be on everyone’s radar’

Broadway World

★★★★ ‘Monique Touko’s lively production paints a vivid picture of the divided community’

The Reviews Hub

★★★★ ‘This bold and richly detailed production by Monique Touko is performed by an outstanding ensemble’
London Theatre
★★★★ ’Key to Touko’s production is the way the cast give weight to Childress’s affectionately drawn characters’

Financial Times

★★★★ ‘A powerful piece of drama’
London Theatre 1

★★★★ ‘Director Monique Touko has punched up all the humour and fire in the text, drawing a rich tonality from her excellent cast.’
The Arts Desk

★★★★ ‘Direction by Monique Touko ensures every ounce of feeling is squeezed out of Childress’ intricate script.’
All That Dazzles

★★★★ ‘Monique Touko’s direction is well-paced, with smooth transitions. Even when multiple conversations happen simultaneously, we are not distracted. The play is as vibrant as it likely was when first staged, if not more so; we enjoy each character and see their fullness in Touko’s production.’
The Rendition

★★★★ ‘‘As director Monique Touko says, the play indeed “speaks to now.’
Theatre Weekly

The Boy At The Back of The Class                                      Onjali Rauf, Adapted by Nick Ahad

There used to be an empty chair at the back of the class, but now a new boy called Ahmet is sitting in it.

He’s nine years old (just like me), but he’s very strange. He never talks and never smiles and doesn’t like sweets – not even lemon sherbets, which are my favourite!

After learning that he has fled his own war-torn country, Ahmet’s classmates have ‘The Greatest Idea in the World’ – a magnificent plan to reunite Ahmet with his family. An unexpected and often hilarious adventure follows, all topped off with a terrific twist. Told from a child’s perspective, balancing heart and humour, The Boy at the Back of the Class highlights the power of friendship and kindness in a world that doesn’t always make sense and reminds us that everyone needs a place to call home.

Ages: 7+

Reviews

★★★★★ ‘At its heart this was a play about social action. It intended to tug at heart strings and the standing ovation it received speaks for itself’.

Broadway World

★★★★★ ‘In the most part The Boy At The Back Of The Class is wonderfully funny, but I’m not ashamed to admit I found myself wiping away a tear more than once. This is a genuinely touching piece of theatre, and with a government hell-bent on demonising refugees, is exactly the kind of story we need to be sharing with younger audiences.’

Theatre Weekly

★★★★★ ‘Monique Touko expertly directs the show, with playfulness and a captivating energy that immerses us in the children’s world.’

Rachel Reviewed

★★★★ ‘Grippingly directed by Monique Touko and thoughtfully adapted by Nick Ahad from Onjali Q Raúf's award-winning 2018 novel, it's also an action-packed multiple adventure story with many more humorous – and joyous – moments than you might expect.’

The Stage

★★★★ ‘Monique Touko’s dynamic, pop-infused production does a good job of keeping up the momentum of the story, aided by Lily Arnold’s adaptable gymnasium set.’

Whats On Stage

★★★★ ‘Direction by Monique Touko is energetic and fast-paced, meaning audience members of all ages are engaged throughout.’

All That Dazzles

★★★★ ‘Ahad and Touko’s adaptation is almost perfect.  Despite being aimed at children, this production is for everyone.

Amongst the comical classroom chaos, this is a powerful and poignantly relevant story that has been beautifully brought to life.’

Theatre & Tonic

★★★★ ‘With sharp and energetic direction by Monique Touko, audiences are taken on a journey through Ahmet’s travel across the sea and borders into the recognisable British classroom and into the imagination of a child.’

West End Best Friend

★★★★ ‘While the subject matter is serious, there are some very funny moments bringing some light-hearted relief. It is charming, poignant, and also genuinely moving.’

Time & Leisure

School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play

Jocelyn Bioh

1986. Ghana’s prestigious Aburi Girls Boarding School.

The UK premiere of this critically-acclaimed smash-hit show

Queen Bee Paulina and her crew excitedly await the arrival of the Miss Ghana pageant recruiter. It’s clear that Paulina is in top position to take the title until her place is threatened by Ericka – a beautiful and talented new transfer student. As the friendship group’s status quo is upended, who will be chosen for Miss Ghana and at what cost?

Bursting with hilarity and joy, this award-winning comedy explores the universal similarities (and glaring differences) facing teenage girls around the world.

This production is produced in association with Mark Gordon Pictures and Francesca Moody Productions.

Reviews

★★★★★ ‘The funniest thing on stage this Summer’

The Independent

★★★★★ ‘Monique Touko’s direction infuses the production with playful and youthful energy, perfectly capturing the essence of teenage schoolgirls.’

Rachel Reviewed

★★★★★ ‘School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play is a refreshing look at teenage girlhood within which there is both sorrow and joy. It’s a fast-paced look at racism and self-image that emphasises some uncomfortable truths about our society.’

All That Dazzles

★★★★★ ‘Monique Touko’s direction is slick and accentuates the brilliance of the writing, whilst the transitions are energising and characterful.’

Lost in Theatreland

★★★★ ‘Yet despite this specific context, there is plenty about Monique Touko’s warm and engaging production that will feel painfully and amusingly familiar to everyone.’

The Guardian

★★★★ ‘Under Monique Touko’s attentive and playful direction, the play soars into something hugely fun and vibrant – and a great group of performers helps, too.’

Evening Standard

★★★★ ‘Monique Touko’s lively staging is bright and heightened without losing sight of the humanity of these girls.’

Time Out

We Need New Names                  Mufaro Makubika

Paradise. Home of 10-year-old Darling and her friends: four children on the edge of innocence. A playground overflowing with mischief and games where they imagine countries a luxurious life away from theirs in Mugabe’s Zimbabwe.

But when Darling moves to Michigan, the western world she encounters as a teenager is far from the American utopia of her dreams…

Based on the novel by NoViolet Bulawayo, the first Black African woman and first Zimbabwean to be Booker Prize-shortlisted, this defiant coming-of-age story is full of exuberance, humour and humanity.

Reviews

★★★★★ ‘Humorous and horrifying in equal measure, the show was a thoroughly engaging experience from start to finish.’

LondonTheatre1

★★★★ ‘Director Monique Touko keeps the tone lively with this tough story of Mugabe’s Zimbabwe in which the actors switch race, age and gender with ease.’

The Guardian

★★★★ ‘We Need New Names is a wonderful look at the idea of belonging and is equally as heart-breaking as it is uplifting. A wonderful cast portray this story in a captivating way that clearly resonated with the audience.'

All That Dazzles

★★★★ ‘Ultimately, for me, the key message and takeaway from this adaptation, wonderfully directed by Monique Touko, is how we each just want to be seen in all our wonderful glory and not be limited by the impositions others put on us simply by how we look or where we were born.’

Afridiziak

Gone Too Far!                                    Bola Agbaje

Bola Agbaje’s Olivier Award-winning remarkable debut GONE TOO FAR! returns to the London stage in 2023 for the first time since becoming a GCSE set text.

When two brothers from different continents go down the street to buy a pint of milk, they lift the lid on a disunited nation; a world where everyone wants to be an individual, but no one wants to stand out from the crowd, and where respect is always demanded but rarely freely given.

Agbaje’s comic and vibrant drama examining identity and heritage is the first co-production between Theatre Royal Stratford East and the National Youth Theatre. Directed with wit and energy by Monique Touko (The Clinic, Almeida Theatre) who recently won Best Director at The Stage Debut Awards 2022 for Malindadzimu at the Hampstead Theatre.

Starring some of Britain’s best young talent from the illustrious NYT REP Company in its 10th anniversary season, the production follows the NYT’s collaboration with Agbaje on Bitches at the Finborough Theatre in 2016. Gone Too Far!’s premiere at the Royal Court Theatre in 2007 starred NYT Patron and alumnus Zawe Ashton. It was adapted for the big screen to critical acclaim in 2013.

Reviews

★★★★★ ‘Memorable work, this play is a must see, reflecting on very current topics related to a globalized work and its very palpable consequences.’

North West End

★★★★ ‘The cast from the National Youth Theatre is vibrant and bursting with raw talent.  There are plenty of laughs in between some powerful and emotional scenes as they navigate the diasporic streets of Peckham.’

Afridiziak

★★★★ ‘The play shows us a Britain that we may have lived all our lives in and yet been unaware of. The audience is engaged with the show all the way through, inhaling sharply at the various racist aggressions, laughing at the ridiculousness of some of the characters, chuckling in understanding at some of the references and jumping to their feet to give a standing ovation at the end.’

The Upcoming

★★★★ ‘A must see for young theatre goers.’

Lost in Theatreland

★★★★ ‘Directed by Monique Touko, the narrative maintains an engaging and well-established pacing that speeds up with precise and adequate progression.’

First Night Magazine

★★★ ‘With the help of Touko’s punchy direction, the humour in the play is instinctive and crackles. All of it is raw and exciting – we can look forward to what the stars of this young company do next.’

Guardian

Stage Debut Awards 2022

Monique Touko

WINNER: Best Director 

“It’s just an honour, really. You work and you work, and you don’t prepare for moments like this. You are preparing for the audiences or the previews – so just to be here... I am just really happy.”

Debut Production: Malindadzimu at Hampstead Theatre, London
Training: Young Vic Director Programme
Agent: TEAM

The Clinic Dipo Baruwa- Etti

The Clinic is a fiercely political and lyrical play by "seriously exciting new talent" (Evening Standard) Dipo Baruwa-Etti (An unfinished man, The Yard), written during a twelve-month residency with the Almeida as part of the Channel 4 Playwrights' bursary.
This world premiere, directed by Monique Touko (Fair Play, Bush Theatre), is a tense and transfixing portrait of a woman with a hunger for change, a family on fire and how to rise from the ashes of a broken world.

Wunmi is tired of the fight. When her world collapses, Ore provides sanctuary in her parents’ home - a family ​of charity workers, therapists and politicians, dedicated to serving their community.

But Wunmi’s presence soon disrupts familiar patterns - cracks start to widen and bad blood thickens. As these pillars of society crumble, Wunmi wonders whether she’s walked into a refuge or ​a trap?

Reviews

★★★★ ‘Monique Touko’s production so astute, that one’s moment-to-moment experience of the play tends to sweep all cavils aside: Touko should be very proud of her achievement here.’

LondonTheatre.co.uk

★★★★ ‘The Clinic is an incredibly well-polished show. The writing is impressive, the cast is great, the set is perfect.’

The Upcoming

★★★★ ‘Director Monique Touko’s slick production does justice to the big ideas and varied tone.’

Hackney Gazette

★★★ ‘Monique Touko’s production smartly navigates the whiplash changes of tone while keeping us strapped in for the ride’

‘A gripping and original drama of family tension, activism and mental heath crisis’

The Stage

★★★ ‘There's a real tension in the writing, brilliantly realised by a production directed by Monique Touko that is sometimes as nerve-wracking as a thriller.’

WhatsOnStage

★★★ ‘Fractious family relationships are well observed in Monique Touko’s slick production at the Almeida.’

Evening Standard

★★★ ‘Monique Touko’s darting, funny, production handles these changes of register skilfully and the performances are razor-sharp’

Financial Times

‘Monique Touko’s warm, absorbing, not-to-be-missed production.’

The Observer- The Week In Theatre

Fair Play Ella Road

The clocks are set. The line is drawn. They’ve got a chance to be champions. But at what cost? 

When Ann joins Sophie’s running club she’s thrown into a world of regimented training and pure focus. The two girls couldn’t be more different, but soon their shared passion makes them inseparable – dreaming in lanes and lap-times, waking up picturing Olympic medals, each day stronger and faster… 

But set head to head in the run up to the World Championships, they find themselves and their friendship put to the ultimate test. As their relationships, their bodies, and their very identities are pulled into public scrutiny, does being exceptional come at too high a price? 

A gripping exploration of the underside of women’s athletics, Fair Play is the new work from Ella Road (The Phlebotomist) – “the most promising young playwright in Britain” (The Telegraph).

Reviews

★★★★★ 'A much ‘bigger' play than it at first looks, and a remarkable piece of theatre.'

Whats On Stage

★★★★★ 'Directed by Monique Touko and designed by Naomi Dawson, there is a searing rhythm to the evening that doesn’t let us look away for even a second.' 

North West End

★★★★ 'Fair Play throws us into the brutal ignorance and invasiveness of the way elite sport approaches gender, with results that disproportionately impact Black women.' 

★★★★ ‘Directed by Monique Touko, with scenes marked by little beeps of the starting line, the pace never drops.'

Guardian

★★★★ ‘Monique Touko’s kinetic production dishes out dialogue that moves as fast and as easily as the characters do on the track, sells us on their simultaneous friendship and rivalry and love and suspicion.'

Times

★★★★ 'Monique Touko’s tightly driven production, enclosed on both sides by a running track along which both girls pound up and down, punctures each short scene with fearsome workouts and a muscle shredding techno soundtrack. It’s fast paced and slow moving at the same time'

Telegraph

★★★★ 'Monique Touko’s dynamic and appropriately fast-paced direction does well to reflect this; moments bowl along with barely a breath between them.'

Evening Standard

★★★★ 'Via the evolution of a friendship strengthened by tough training and challenged by competition, it explores gender, biology, prejudice and privilege – and in Monique Touko's exhilarating production, it does it all with breathless, pulse-thumping, muscular dynamism.'

I News

Malindadzimu Mufaro Makubika

‘Have you ever felt, like, lost. And then something pulls you, finds you, calls you. Like it’s been looking for you? Only you alone’

For Faith and her teenage daughter Hope, it seems as though growing up inevitably means growing apart. So Faith makes the drastic decision to move the family back to her native Zimbabwe to start over. It’s home for her but not for Hope – at least, not on the surface... Will the powers that have drawn them back to their roots help them find each other - and themselves?

Mufaro Makubika’s new play - delicate, witty and epic in equal measure - travels from Nottingham to Zimbabwe to explore a mother and daughter’s search for belonging, their struggle with a multicultural heritage, and a haunting history that cannot be ignored.

Malindadzimu is Makubika’s second play following his critically acclaimed Shebeen (Nottingham Playhouse/Theatre Royal Stratford East), which won the 2017 Alfred Fagon Award for Best New Play. Monique Touko makes her professional directing debut.

Reviews

★★★★ 'A delicate, confident production that leaves you thinking: about heritage, about family, and about the authentic, exciting stories that are finally making their way to the stage.'

Broadway World

★★★★ 'A thought-provoking and poignant exploration of belonging.' 

The Upcoming

★★★★ 'A beautiful, refreshing and dynamic family drama.'

Afridiziak

★★★ 'A poignant quest to confront Africa’s past, with charm and camaraderie at its heart.'

Guardian

★★★ ‘A promising family drama, with excellent performances.’

The Times

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