Black love blooms on broadway: shifters promises a raw, unflinching portrait
At fifteen, Heather Agyepong was captivated by the transformative magic of Blood Brothers – a glimpse of human change that ignited a lifelong fascination with storytelling. Now, she’s bringing that same potent observation to the stage, starring opposite Daniel Ezra in Benedict Lombe’s Shifters, currently captivating audiences at the Cherry Lane Theatre.
A love story, complicated and real
The play centers on a young Black couple, Des and Imani, who reconnect after eight years apart. But Shifters isn’t just about romance; it’s a searing exploration of the everyday struggles—the job rejections, the feeling of being perpetually behind, the weight of unspoken expectations—that shape a relationship. Agyepong describes it as “jagged and all over the place,” capturing the messy, vital truth of love itself.
From london’s streets to broadway’s spotlight
Agyepong’s journey to the stage has been anything but conventional. Initially drawn to psychology, she found her voice through photography, using it to dissect her own experiences and confront difficult emotions. “I was processing…making visible ‘different parts of [myself], either to help accept them or understand that they have no power over me,” she explains. Her work, influenced by figures like Carl Jung and Søren Kierkegaard, continues to delve into the complexities of the self.
A legacy of grit
Growing up in South London, Agyepong’s upbringing was shaped by the tireless work ethic of her Ghanaian immigrant parents – her father managing seafood at Harrods, her mother working for the NHS. “They showed how much they loved us with how much they worked,” she says. “I wanted to make sure I was grafting and not taking their sacrifices for granted…How do I honor them, but also honor myself? I think that’s the dilemma sometimes with second-generation kids.”
Finding her own voice
Encouraged by director Lynette Linton after her performance in Jocelyn Bioh’s School Girls, Agyepong seized the opportunity to audition for Shifters. The production’s success in London and subsequent transfer to the West End paved the way for its New York debut. The role of Des, a “quirky, messy, dark-skinned girl with Afro hair,” was a deliberate invention, allowing Agyepong to simply “exhale and just enjoy the beauty of being.”
A critical acclaim
Shifters has already garnered significant recognition, including an Olivier Award nomination for Agyepong’s performance. Her commitment to portraying authenticity and vulnerability—echoing the films of If Beale Street Could Talk and In the Mood for Love—is resonating deeply with audiences. As Agyepong herself puts it,