The Moors - Plays for Young People

The Moors - Plays for Young People Synopsis

Two migrants both alike in dignity in this city where we lay our dreams.

Two men arrive in London looking for Shakespeare. They say they are from Balaika, Africa. They have passed through fire to be here and are determined for the great man to hear their stories. Alas, Shakespeare is dead!

However, his theatre still stands. Soon they find themselves swept up and placed on stage in front of an expectant audience. Fame, fortune and love awaits ... But, can they survive the increasingly hostile environment?

In triumphantly energetic Southern African style, two actors play men, women and immigration police to portray this funny yet moving story of love, friendship, and ambition.

Published in Methuen Drama's Plays For Young People series, this edition features resources for teachers and students, including an introduction by Sonia Massai, Professor of Shakespeare Studies at Kings College London, and a contextual response to the play in production by the author.

• A unique and diverse play for 16-18 year olds that acts as a response to Shakespeare's Othello and engages important questions on race, immigration and playing Shakespeare.
• This edition features new educational material written by the author and Professor Sonia Massai for students and teachers to instigate classroom exploration and discussion.
• As a performance text, this is an excellent play for two Black actors which can easily be expanded to larger classroom ensembles and larger groups.

A Preview of The Moors is available here.

To support further understanding of the play, you can find an introduction to The Moors with Tonderai Munyevu available on the Bloomsbury English and Drama Teacher Resources page, as part of Bloomsbury's Lit in Colour Partnership.