Sleepova – Bush Theatre, London

A fabulously warm-hearted celebration of love, friendship and finding your way in the world, Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini’s Sleepova is a joy to behold.

Content warning: living with illness, LGBT ‘conversion therapy’, grief and bereavement.

Sleepova

I was excited going into Sleepova at the Bush Theatre. I had seen glowing feedback on social media from people who had been to previews, and was looking forward to seeing it for myself. Spoiler alert: it more than lives up to the hype. Sleepova is a work by Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini, their ode to female friendship, dedicated to “black girls and femmes whose parents never allowed them to attend sleepovers.” It is a deliberate safe space, with relaxed performances, an introductory physical self-description by the cast, and other ways of showing all potential audience members they are welcome. It’s like a girls’ sleepover on its best day (all about love, sharing and support), not its worst (well, you know the reputation teenage girls can have).

But who are these girls, and what is this sleepover all about? The play follows four friends: Funmi (Bukky Bakray), Rey (Amber Grappy), Shan (Aliyah Odoffin) and Elle (Shayde Sinclair). We open on Shan preparing for her very first sleepover, to celebrate her 16th birthday. It’s the girls’ first sleepover because many of their parents harbour doubts: why go sleep at someone else’s house? But Shan prevails (mostly) and the girls settle into an evening of gossip, snacks and films. Subsequent scenes take us beyond the sleepover: we see the girls in study sessions, at their prom, and supporting each other through tough times. What is constant is the strong bond established at the outset.

Energy, Warmth, And Generosity Of Spirit

It’s just as well this bond is strong. Like Red Pitch, which I saw on the same stage a year ago, Sleepova is about young people on the verge of their adult lives. Their friendship must evolve as Shan confronts her deepest fears about living with sickle cell disease. As Funmi loses her father. And as an unexpected moment between Rey and Elle sees Elle grappling with identity, religion and family relationships. Also like Red Pitch, Sleepova crafts a story full of energy, warmth, and generosity of spirit. The script fizzes with wry humour. The four actors are superbly cast, and bring their characters to life as well as their friendship.

There is an obvious line to draw between this work and Bukky Bakray’s debut in the 2019 film Rocks (both about female friendship in the face of adversity). But her portrayal of Funmi is much lighter, full of youthful bravado and thoughts of boys. Aliyah Odoffin is touching as Shan, adjusting to the idea that she can’t just ignore her sickle cell in order to have a normal life. Odoffin is grounded, and a believable heart of the group. Amber Grappy as Rey exudes the confidence of someone who is still growing into the persona they have created for themselves. Grappy lets the audience in through the chinks in her armour, which makes the catharsis of reconciliation amongst the friends all the sweeter.

Finally Shayde Sinclair as Elle is an interesting case study. At the outset of the play her character seems almost two-dimensional. She’s the good Christian girl, as she reminds her friends at every opportunity. Elle goes through probably the biggest development arc during the events of the play, however. By the end we understand that she was two-dimensional because she was playing a role. But Sinclair retains enough of her character’s sweetness and mannerisms that she doesn’t feel like a new person. She’s finally herself. Having tackled tough issues such as ‘conversion therapy’ within the fundamentalist Christian community, Ibini leaves us with hope that a happy ending is possible.

Beg, Steal Or Borrow, Just Get A Ticket!

The Sleepova script and cast are supported by an excellent creative team. Cara Evans‘s set design is cosy yet open, with a surprise towards the end which I won’t reveal. The lighting by Elliot Griggs and sound design by XANA are so good as to fit perfectly with the action and tone. The prom scene even took me back to long ago school dances of my own. And the costume design is inspired. As I mentioned earlier only the opening scene of Sleepova is actually a sleepover. But Evans ties everything together with a selection of loungewear, punctuated by some memorable prom dresses. With Jade Lewis’s direction conveying the essence of the work, with all its scary feelings of crossing the threshold into adulthood and wondering what that means for the security of your friendship group, the whole Sleepova team knock it out of the park.

Which brings me back to the heading of this section. I don’t care if you have to beg, steal or borrow, you should be booking a ticket to Sleepova already. I see an awful lot of theatre compared to most, so I can guarantee this is something special. Sleepova will have you laughing out loud, gasping in shock, and thinking wistfully of your teenage years (not an easy feat). I’m so pleased it lived up to my pre-show expectations, and will look out for any future plays Ibini has to offer. It’s not often that a story that is in some ways quite specific is also big-hearted enough to envelop an entire audience in its warm embrace. A real talent indeed.

Salterton Arts Review’s rating: 5/5

Sleepova on until 8 April 2023