Side Eye Production’s Dugsi Days sees four girls in detention find a bond through ​​reminiscing on urban folk tales in a Somali take on The Breakfast Club.

Salma, Yasmin, Munira and Hani would normally never be seen with each other, but through stories of men who pretend they are something they aren’t, nosy aunties and the legend of the girl who turned into a monkey, they begin to find common ground. As they sit out their detention in dugsi – an Islamic school that is seen as a Somali rite of passage – they slowly reveal how each of them came to be there.

Writer Sabrina Ali said, “I wrote Dugsi Dayz to explore the nostalgic memories of Dugsi, a rite of passage for most Somali’s. Comedy was my friend throughout the play, especially when my characters recall urban Somali folktales, finding humour in how they were once used as cautionary tales. For me, this play is a testament to the importance of creating our own narratives and showcasing the ease with which Muslim girls can exist in stories.”

Dusgi Dayz plays at Underbelly Cowgate, Belly Button, 3 – 27 Aug 2023 (not 14 & 21), 12.40. Click here for ticket information.

One Way Out

Writer and director Montel Douglas’ debut play, One Way Out, explores young British-Caribbeans experiences of the Windrush crisis through the story of Devonte. One day, he receives a deportation letter for Jamaica whilst finishing college. Inspired by a true event that happened to one of Douglas’ family members, One Way Out tells the important but often neglected story of young people raised in the UK being stripped of their legalities, and the impact that this turmoil has on a sense of identity for younger members of the Windrush generation.

Douglas says, “The people of the Windrush have had a significant hand in the rebuilding and revolution of this country. Its foundation has allowed the generations after them to call Britain ‘home’. People’s behaviour can drastically change when unsettled… Ultimately it’s a piece of work to say to my cousin and everyone who this has happened to ‘I remember you. Your voice and world haven’t been forgotten and home can be wherever you need to it to be’.”