CHENNAI: Racism, whether casual or blatant, is a difficult topic to express by those on the receiving end. Despair at the unfairness of it and a perpetual burning question of ‘Why me?’ prevents many from expressing anger and standing up against it. Born in a small village in Wiltshire, England, in a predominantly white area, Natasha Marshall has come a long way from the ostracised young girl to award-shortlisted playwright and actor. In the city to tell us her story through theatre, she speaks to CE about Half-breed.
A semi-autobiographical dark comedy, Half-breed is more than just a play on a stage, it is the finding of voice for self-expression. “I am one of the very few people of colour where I come from. I moved to London, went for drama school, and I wasn’t getting enough representation. So I decided to write a play by myself,” Natasha begins.
Half-breed started as a three-minute poem. Natasha used to perform the poem at open mic nights and poetry nights in London. Gradually she built it to a play, thanks to a writing programme with two theatre groups, Soho theatre and Talawa Theatre Company, the co-producers of Half-breed. “I was a 26-year old, who moved back home to live with my grandma. I felt lost. I decided to write the play, and all I wanted was for someone to give me a chance, and they did. This play has literally changed my life in many ways,” Natasha smiles.
A one woman show, Natasha combines a total of seven characters in the 60-minute play. She plays the role of Jasmine, a young mixed-race woman who lives in a little village in the west of England, with dreams of becoming an actor; she is also the racist character. “I play my whole village. I play the racist and also the woman facing it. I think that makes the show more interesting and delivers a stronger message,” she quips. “I feel all the characters are a piece of me. Ultimately nobody’s perfect — we all can say ignorant things.”
Using spoken word poetry and physical theatre as tools, Natasha not only breaks out of difficult past, but also breaks the illusion that —racism doesn’t exist. “Many people in England like to pretend that racism doesn’t exist anymore. I want to open up people’s minds and conversations about racism. I want people who’ve experienced it to know that they’re not alone. This is my own small way of changing the world,” Natasha explains.
Half-breed premiered at many festivals like Edinburgh Festival Fringe Soho theatre, London, before finding its way to India, premiering earlier this week in Bengaluru. The script was even shortlisted for the Soho Young Writers’ Award 2016 and Alfred Fagon Award 2016. Surprised at her own success she says, “I never thought my dream will actually come true! I mean, now, I’m in India!”
Expressing one’s personal difficulties in front of many people on stage can be nerve wracking, but Natasha feels it’s worth it. “When I get very nervous, I think about who I’m doing it for and about how I would have really wanted that when I was growing up in my village. I know they have understood when I see them in tears,” says the artist. “Half-breed is also about survival and hope — and I think people from anywhere in the world can relate to it”
Natasha opines that she wants to keep writing more exciting roles for people of colour, and especially women.“I find writing more exciting it is about speaking the truth” she smiles.