Firstsite: Essex Girls

Essex Girls explores how it feels to be a Black girl in a mostly white regional space, how to find self-love in a sphere that doesn’t always accommodate you, the magical power of female friendships and Black girl magic.

All wrapped inside a warm, funny, nostalgic vision of 2009 Britain – the era of UK garage revival, Jane Norman bags, and BBM.

Growing up in Benfleet, Essex hasn’t been straightforward for British-Nigerian Bisola.

She’s done her best to fit in, but even her two best friends Charlie and Saffron, who love her to bits, seem to be understanding her less and less recently.

However, after an incident at her high school shunts her into the orbit of the only other Black girl in her year – the gorgeous, irrepressible Ashlee, who is everything Bisola wishes she could be – Bisola is plunged into a journey of discovering a whole new side of herself.

Directored by Yero Timi-Biu, the cast features: Busayo Ige, Corinna Brown, Maisie Smith, Adrianna Bertola, Krysstina Frempong, Rebecca Dike, Tomi Egbowon-Ogunjobi and Daniel Adeosun.

Dates: Friday 24 November, 6.00pm, Sunday 26 November, 1.30pm and Wednesday 29 November, 1.30pm. Length: 30 minutes.

Image courtesy of Tape Collective Ltd 2022.

Supported by the Essex County Council Arts and Cultural Fund.