Directed by Landé Belo That Four Letter Word – devised and produced by Landé Belo
“Love is an action, never simply a feeling.” — bell hooks
What do we really mean when we talk about love?
The award-winning Ain’t I A Woman? returns with That Four Letter Word, three short plays that explore love in all its forms – tender and fierce, joyful and painful, complicated and hard‑won.
Rooted in Black women’s experiences, these stories examine love not as a passive emotion, but as something we choose, practise and labour over. Love, here, is an action – and the consequences of acting (or failing to act) are deeply felt. From a museum of memories to a tech boardroom to a couple’s bedroom, three stories unfold, each exploring the courage, complexity and beauty of loving and being loved.
In Safekeeping, a woman journeys through personal and collective histories, inviting reflection on the objects and memories that shape us Pivot brings us into the high-stakes world of two women entrepreneurs, as they debate the future of their dating app and the meaning of love, friendship and self-worth Whilst in Heat a couple pass a restless night confronting the strains of change, revealing the difficulty of communicating when words aren’t enough.
Cast & Creatives:
Safekeeping written and performed by Nicole Acquah
Pivot by Landé Belo Abiodun Duarte: Trisha Nabalayo or Alyssa Mansaray Tolani Monroe: Tunrayo Tomori
Heat by Sara Amanda M: Ebony Skerritt A: Steven Burrell
Production Team
Director and Producer: Landé Belo
Assistant Directors: Trisha Nabalayo and Ebony Skerritt
Sound Designer: Anna Kidd
Light Designer: Venus Raven
Costume Designers: Landé Belo and Ebony Skerritt
Marketing: Simi Belo Stage
Management: Norma Hewins and Sophia Chrisafis
