Who doesn’t love a classic rom com? Where two people, against all odds, stumble across each other, fall hopelessly in love, and live happily ever after. Cue the fireworks!
And that’s sort of what happens in A to B, where Armani (Sheyi Cole) and Brianna (Zakiyyah Deen) have been set up on a blind date. Well, not entirely blind, as their mutual friends have already shown them each other’s socials.
Written by Tia-Renee Mullings and directed by Ewa Dina, Armani and Brianna are getting ready to make this the summer to end all summers by finally having someone to share it with.
“Cause how am I gonna have the summer to end all summers with no one to share it with?”
Set in South East London, both Brianna and Armani are preparing for their big date. Armani is excited and ready to charm Brianna with his outfit, chat, and good looks, whereas Brianna is a little more sceptical. She’s looking forward to the date, but she’s not quite sure what to make of it all.
As they both get ready and head out the door, everything that could possibly go wrong does. Brianna has last-minute chores to complete, her younger sisters ruin her clothes, and that’s after her bonnet falls off in the middle of the night.
Armani’s grandma suddenly needs help at her house at exactly the same time as his fresh trim appointment. But things only get worse. From rumbling bellies to gentrified patties, wrecked hairlines to being mistakenly identified as an opp at the bus stop, the disasters keep coming. Cue poop, mud, and everything else in between.
Will Armani and Brianna ever make it on time to meet each other? Will this become the summer to end all summers? Or will the fireworks fail to go off, leaving no happily ever after?
I guess you’ll have to watch it to find out.
Set in the upstairs studio at Soho Theatre, the intimate space allows you to feel fully immersed in Armani and Brianna’s world. The set, designed by Sange Falase, is simple, but the clever use of props helps bring the story to life. As the play unfolded, I almost stopped noticing the simplicity of the visuals because I was so invested in the story being told.
Written entirely in rhyme, Tia-Renee Mullings beautifully tells a story that I don’t often see on stage, a British Caribbean love story. It was funny, silly, sweet, and incredibly entertaining. Unlike many love stories that leave you feeling sad or frustrated, this one left me smiling and wanting a part two. Mullings keeps the audience on their toes as we watch one disaster after another unfold, but manages to keep the story light, energetic, and full of joy whilst still touching on important topics such as gentrification in South East London, the dangers of travelling alone as a young Black man, and the repercussions of not going to your usual barber.
Both Zakiyyah Deen and Sheyi Cole acted their hearts out. They were energetic, believable, and completely committed to their characters. I found myself fully invested in their lives and could relate to both of them. As a British Caribbean woman, I completely understood that chores come first, the deep sleep induced by your granny’s Jamaican cooking, and the consequences of your headscarf coming off during the night.
I was also totally impressed by how they delivered their lines in rhyme. It’s not an easy thing to do, but they made it feel effortless. The words flowed naturally and smoothly throughout.
A to B is a sweet rom-com full of humour, heart, and joy. The audience couldn’t get enough and were fully invested throughout, as was I. It’s charming, perfectly cheesy, relatable, and everything you could want from a love story.
NEED TO KNOW: A to B is playing at Soho Theatre Upstairs until 3 July.
