Tamasha and ICA announces the cast for Mojisola Adebayo’s STARS: an Afrofuturist Space Odyssey. 

Debra Michaels (Strange Fruit, Bush Theatre) will lead the company as Mrs, an older woman who goes into outer space in search of her own orgasm, alongside actor, dancer, and DJ, Bradley Charles (Sylvia, Old Vic) as her son and DJ, Michael Manners. All other roles are played by Debra.

STARS is created by Alfred Fagon Award 2021 winner and George Devine Award 2022 finalist Mojisola Adebayo, directed by Gail Babb and S. Ama Wray, with animations by artist Candice Purwin, and music direction by producer Debo Adebayo. 

Moving, funny, and joyful, STARS is told through one woman, a live DJ, and projected animation. With creative captioning by Stephen Lloyd, it is accessible to all. 

Mrs is an old lady who goes into outer space in search of her own orgasm. Her quest is sparked by three encounters: a young neighbour who discloses a secret; an old friend who reveals she is intersex; and a would-be lesbian lover in a launderette who offers Mrs two drops of her own pressed lavender and a smile that says ‘I handle delicates with care’.

STARS is the latest play by Mojisola Adebayo, whose previous work includes Nothello, Muhammad Ali and Me, I Stand Corrected and Moj Of The Antarctic. A UK tour of her play Family Tree (winner of the Alfred Fagon Award), produced by ATC is also touring this year and is at the Everyman from 4 to 6 May. 

The idea for STARS was conceived during a writing retreat with Idle Women on a canal boat in Lancashire, where Mojisola first met artist Candice Purwin – who animates the show. Crucial to its development was the support of FORWARD (an African women-led organisation working to end violence against girls and women), with intersex activists including Del LaGrace Volcano and Valentino Vecchietti, and with women in Accrington with whom she shared workshops on the power of pleasure. The concept of the show was further developed with producer and DJ Debo Adebayo, who has mixed the music that will be played on stage by the live DJ.

UK tour from 9 May 2023, STARS comes to Liverpool Everyman 22 to 24 Jun. Click here to view the performance diary.