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Black women's Bedford show aims to cause 'positive change'

Vicky Ann Stephenson Rise of the Empress in rehearsalVicky Ann Stephenson
Rise of the Empress was "culminated from hundreds of conversations I've had from the past two years" Sharon De Leonardis said

A theatre premiere about a fly-on-the-wall conversation between two black women aims to "cause a positive reaction for change".

Rise of the Empress will show what "it's like to work and live in a country where you're not the dominant race", said Sharon De Leonardis, its creator, producer and director.

The play is due to be performed at The Place Theatre, Bedford, on Friday.

She wants people to ask questions "without being called a racist".

Sharon De Leonardis Sharon De LeonardisSharon De Leonardis
Sharon De Leonardis said attitudes are changing but more still needs to be done

Ms De Leonardis, the chief executive of Bedford-based SpectaculArts, said the show - co-written and performed with Nairobi Thompson - was by "two corporate black women".

"It shows there aren't five stereotypes of black women, there are many sides of us," she said.

"It's important for people to be able to sit and listen to watch what it's actually like to work and live in a country where you're not the dominant race.

"I would like it to be an awakening, an awareness for people to understand they can question, they can be an ally."

The show, featuring a question and answers session, was due to be performed at the Underground Studio at Northampton's Royal and Derngate but was postponed when Raac (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) was discovered and is still to be rearranged.

studioMix Nairobi Thompson and Sharon DeLeonardisstudioMix
Nairobi Thompson and Sharon DeLeonardis have worked together on creating the piece of theatre

She said more black heritage needed to be taught as "schools and history books talk minimally about slavery, they don't talk about pre-slavery, it's almost like we landed at slavery".

"We need to set the scene before slavery, that we were a community full of inventors, Kings, Queens and founders, for young children to understand who they were," added Ms De Leonardis.

"I want it to cause a positive reaction for change, I want people to talk about what they've heard.... we want to be the black friend that you can talk to without being called a racist."

She hopes the play will be performed by other groups who will adapt it with their own experiences.

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