Tower Theatre presents

I can’t breathe

Written by Vanessa Owusu, Nicole Acquah, Tyan Jones & Idris Goodwin

Directed by Landé Belo and Lyla Smith-Abass

This event is now sold out.

“WE ARE EXHAUSTED. Emotionally. Physically. Mentally. But do you understand? I guess if you’re black you will.”

She tells us in ‘The Voice of The Unheard’.

She asks how all lives matter when black lives are in danger?

In ‘Conscientious Conversations’ Jane would like to know where Jada’s “from-from” and doesn’t see what the big deal is.

Why do people have to be so touchy anyway?

In ‘Sankofa’ Nicole has just experienced her first panic attack after witnessing live murder on TV and is still gasping for air, but her colleagues want to talk diversity.

Our callow youth in ‘Act Free’ questions the value of freedom when you have nothing and shrewdly concludes: “Something tells me it will not be over soon”?

This collection of monologues and short plays written during the time of Covid-19, examine what it means to be “black”, questioning when black lives and black futures will finally matter.


This show is part of Arcola’s festival of outdoor art and performance, Today I’m Wiser. Explore the full programme → 

The health and wellbeing of our audiences is an absolute priority for us. Please have a read of the measures we’ve put in place to keep you safe.