A coming-of-age performance at the Lowry, Salford, examines the complexities of adult relationships and shines a new light on queer Black female identity.
Tiajna Amayo starred as Lady in the piece written by Nkenna Akunna and directed by Tiata Fahodzi. It’s playing in Salford on 20 and 21 October before going on tour.
Amayo said in an interview with MM: “In popular media, we see plus-sized black women and plus-sized queer black women being portrayed in a very specific way.”
In the show we followed Lady’s chaotic night – which begins when she crashes her childhood best friend Gemma’s birthday party having not seen each other for six months.
Self-discovery during your 20s, queer romance and body image were examined alongside both original and familiar songs which counterbalanced the heavy themes.
Tiajna Amayo was a captivating performer who brought an infectious energy to the small stage from the get-go, as well as supplying us with hilarious commentary throughout.
She broke the fourth wall, speaking to the audience for the majority of the piece, which made for some comically uncomfortable moments while immersing us into Lady’s chaotic state of mind – mainly being stuck at a party hardly knowing anyone and resorting to getting way too drunk.
Lady’s characterisation as an unconventional heroine was refreshing to watch – she did not seek the audience’s approval but was unapologetically herself, revealing her complexities and imperfections.
Tiajna humorously portrayed Lady’s impulsiveness and questionable decision-making as she desperately tries to hold onto her nostalgia for the past.
She was never afraid to express her true feelings and acted like a child throwing their toys out of the pram as she was resentful of how Gemma was moving on with her life, and responded with some comical drunk-acting and loathing of Gemma’s new best friend, Jessie.
But it was impossible not to warm to Lady as Tiajna skilfully revealed the character’s vulnerable and self-conscious side, which added intricate depth to her character.
Her journey home from the party on the night bus gave the audience an introspection into Lady’s struggle to grow up.
As she stared out of the bus window into the audience, Lady’s nostalgic longing for the past made clear the difficulties of a young queer Black woman trying to pave a life for herself in a city and among people who are constantly changing.
After waking up the next day, Tiajna created a poignant moment between Lady and Gemma, whose voice we heard for the first time during the show, as Lady openly discussed her queerness.
Lady seemed to gain a degree of self-acceptance by the end of the show, finally letting go of her strong hold on the past.
Being a one-woman show, Tiajna had the hard task of sustaining the audience’s engagement for the entire 80 minutes – which she did effortlessly with her seamless transitions into other characters as well as getting up close and personal to audience members.
Tiajna’s strong vocal skills helped the story evolve through a series of original and familiar songs that gave the audience some light relief and carefully chartered Lady’s journey from anger, fear and finally self-acceptance.
As a female-centric piece, the only male character mentioned propositioned Lady at a kebab shop, to which she hilariously responded to by making animalistic growling noises and chasing him away.
It was liberating to watch a female character who did not seek a man’s approval while she battled to find herself.
Cheeky Little Brown will be performed for the last time in Salford twice today, 21 October, before making its way to Coventry and Derby until 1 November.
Tickets are available to buy here.
Images: Tiajna Amayo in Cheeky Little Brown – images by Craig Fuller.
