BAFTA-nominated writer Gabriel Bisset-Smith brings his love letter to London to the city's Soho Theatre this July.
Whitewash is a hilarious, devastating and timely story of Mary and Lysander, a mixed-race woman and her very white son, exploring race, family and identity in the ever-changing face of the city.
Mary’s trying to be the best parent that she can, but that’s hard when you’re a single mum bringing up your kids in social housing and when people think that you’ve kidnapped your child.
Inspired by Gabriel’s own experience of being from Jamaican mixed heritage but white-passing and growing up in North London social housing, Whitewash looks at where race and class intersect and asks how you find a sense of belonging and identity when you neither look like your own family nor no longer recognise the city around you.
Speaking about the production, Gabriel said "This play is the most personal and challenging thing I’ve ever written, and I couldn’t be happier that it’s going on at the Soho Theatre. They have supported me from the very beginning of my career and where better to stage a play about London than at the very heart of it."
Previously, Gabriel has directed, co-created and co-wrote the BBC’s ground-breaking multi-platform murder mystery The Last Hours of Laura K which earned him a BAFTA nomination in digital creativity and his debut short film Thrush won the Vimeo Best Narrative award. He's also a successful comedian and half of comedy double act GUILT & SHAME who have a podcast of the same name.
There will also be two post-show panel discussions on 13th and 27th July exploring the current issues faced by social housing with confirmed guests including George Bradley, Director of Bradley Van Der Strasten architects and architect on ITV’s Love Your Home and Garden.
The play will be co-produced by Francesca Moody Productions and Soho Theatre, directed by Soho Theatre's Associate Director Charlotte Bennett and with development support from DryWrite (Fleabag).
Whitewash runs from Wednesday 3rd – Saturday 27th July at 7pm with Saturday Matinees at 2:45pm. Book tickets here.