Reviewed by Caroline Stafford
Please consider while reading this review, that I (the reviewer) am white, and come from a mixed settler background and this will impact my connection to the work. However, I have endeavoured to speak to other audience members of African heritage and will incorporate their responses into this review, as well as my own reflections.
Our Stories, Our Motherland is a show that ruminates and celebrates African femininity, womanhood and history through spoken word, poetry and movement. While audiences of the African diaspora will connect more with the themes within the show, people of any background can connect with and enjoy the work, appreciating the beauty and resilience entwined in the stories carved out on stage. The three performers present a united front with their white clothes seemingly a metaphor for their shared experiences, but the differences in their chosen pieces are a reminder of their unique and individual perspectives. Additionally, while the performers share themes and ideas, each spoken piece is incredibly distinctive, with extraordinary resonance and tone.
The staging was minimal - with different props and pieces creating four unique vignettes that the performers weave through, in and out, to create and enhance the themes at play. They also use projection to show images of natural African landscapes ostensibly to unify the stories and remind us that each experience stems from the same cultural origin.
The success of this show lies in its fusion of movement and spoken word. The poems, testimonies, monologues and journal-like responses take shape as each performer moves and undulates. Speaking to audience members afterwards, they praised the way that the performers created a sense of safety throughout while tackling issues that face African diaspora women. These ranged from issues of femininity and domesticity to history, migration, racism and religion. The performers seemed to hold our hands and guide us through a turbulent whirl of emotions and feelings - not shying away from difficulty and pain, and embracing the joy wherever possible.
Our Stories, Our Motherland is a production by The Outsiders - a group of African diaspora performers founded by Mohammed ‘Ayo Busari, Lisa Watson, and Kuda Ndlov. Their mission is to amplify CaLD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) voices and create spaces for these vital stories to be told. The resilience and passion of these performers is a palpable heartbeat, thudding through the performance and carrying it out into the world.

Reviewer Note: Tickets for this review were provided by the theatre company.
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