Leave Taking
by Winsome Pinnock
About
A Bush Theatre production
Winsome Pinnock is “the godmother of Black British playwrights” (The Guardian) who defined and inspired a generation with her work for the stage. She won the George Devine Award for Leave Taking in 1991 and was the first black British woman to have a play produced at the National Theatre. She has written numerous, award-winning plays that put black experiences centre-stage. In 2017, Winsome’s short play The Principles of Cartography opened the newly refurbished Bush Theatre as part of Black Lives, Black Words.
“What doctor know about our illness? Just give you pills to sick you stomach and a doctor certificate. What they know about a black woman soul?”
In Deptford, Del and Viv are soul-sick. Del doesn’t want to be at home – staying out late, 3pm-the-next-day late, is more her thing. Viv scours her school books trying to find a trace of herself between their lines.
When Enid takes her daughters to the local ‘obeah’ woman for some traditional Caribbean soul healing, secrets are spilled. There’s no turning back for Del, Viv and Enid as they negotiate the frictions between their countries and cultures.
Two generations. Three incredible women. Leave Taking is one epic story of what we leave behind in order to find home.
Madani Younis (The Royale) directs the contemporary revival of Winsome Pinnock’s classic, award-winning play.
