PRAISE FOR RIANNA’S WORK

“Bold and unafraid…no one is a savoir and no one is having to explain their traumas” – Bruntwood Prize

“A play that exhilarated me…so much fun!” – Jeremy O. Harris

“When are you gonna start a YouTube channel? That’s how people make real money” – My Mom

WHITE GIRLS GANG

Audre Lorde, a book club, and five screaming white women. Shortlisted for the Yale Drama Series Prize 2023, White Girls Gang is satire about a book club gone disastrously wrong. In 2022, an initial reading and R&D process was directed by the amazing babirye bukilwa and produced by Scratching Collective. This was made possible by Nouveau Riche and New Diorama Theatre Broadgate.

A recording of the reading can be sent along with the playscript (upon request)!

Huge Thank You to: babirye, Scratching, Nouveau Riche, New Diorama Theatre, David, Ellie, Chloe, Beth, Elinor, Jemma and Hannah for bringing this play to life for the first time.

The cast and creatives behind the WHITE GIRLS GANG reading (April 2022). Left to right (back row): Vanessa Ng (producer, Scratching), Harris Albar (producer, Scratching), Grace Dougan (producer, Scratching), Hannah Mullen (actor), Beth Easdown (actor), Rianna Simons (writer), Chloe Palmer (actor), Elinor Solly (actor), Jemma Martin (actor), babirye bukilwa (director). Left to right (front row): David Ijiti (actor) and Ellie Gallimore (actor).

FOLKLIFE (Almeida Theatre)

Set during day one of the annual Bermuda Cup Match holiday, Folklife is the story of Candace introducing her girlfriend to her family back home. Written as a part of the Almeida’s ‘Anthem’ Writers Group, a ten minute extract of the play was shown in early 2022 in a showcase at the Almeida Theatre for Anthem Live.

An industry recording of Folklife is available upon request via the Almeida Theatre.

Huge Thank You to: Ola Animashawun, Abi Falase, Germma Orleans Thompson, Montel, Joseph, Alice, Nicole, Kathryn, Sarah, Yasmine, Jaylen, Dr. Kim, Cathie and Alan for their help and their work on this play.

The cast and creatives behind Rianna's play Folklife. Left to right: Germma Orleans Thompson (director), Kathryn Roth (actor), Joseph Junkere (actor), Alice Grant (actor), Nicole Caffrey (actor), Rianna (writer) and Montel Douglas (AD)

The cast and creatives behind Rianna's play FOLKLIFE (February 2022). Left to right: Germma Orleans Thompson (director), Kathryn Roth (actor), Joseph Junkere (actor), Alice Grant (actor), Nicole Caffrey (actor), Rianna Simons (writer), Montel Douglas (assistant director of Anthem Live) & Abi Falase (creative producer of Anthem Live, off camera taking the photo).