Elmina's Kitchen

You can't just walk into dis bad man t'ing, you gotta learn the whole science of it. You step into that arena and you better be able to dance wid death til it mek you dizzy. The Yardies are burning up Hackney and Digger's offer of protection for the diner smacks more of threat than promise. How can Deli save his truanting, thieving son when temptation looms so large on Murder Mile?

ISBN 0413773639   Volumes 1 ISBN13 9780413773630 (What's this?)   Weight (grammes) 88 Publisher A & C Black Publishers Ltd   Published in London Imprint Methuen Drama   Series editor Hannigan, Sarah Format Paperback   Series title Modern Plays Publication date 15 May 2003   Height (mm) 198 Library of Congress PR6111   Width (mm) 129 DEWEY 822   Spine width (mm) 6 DEWEY edition DC21   Academic level General Pages 96

'Guns, drugs, crime, racism, the effects of single parenthood, the ease with which young black men reject education, the troubled relationship between black Britons and "back home", the frustrated desire to achieve ... Kwame Kwei-Armah's play covers an awful lot of bases. What makes Elmina's Kitchen remarkable, however, is his ability to address all these issues without hectoring. He takes us behind the headlines from Hackney's Murder Mile, bringing a human face to London's gang violence and showing how easy it is to make the wrong choice when struggling to survive.' Maddy Costa, The Guardian 'Elmina's Kitchen does just what the best contemporary theatre should. It urges people with half closed minds and averted eyes to confront the ignored and evaded problems of our time.' Nicholas de Jongh, Evening Standard 'This is an angry, provocative, vital play, one that demands change in society while recognising that there are no easy solutions, and is passionately political while understating that the best way to communicate with people is to keep them entertained. It is thrilling to see it at the National - and will be even more thrilling if it inspires other black playwrights to follow its lead.' Maddy Costa, The Guardian 'a scorching drama about the black experience in Britain's inner cities ... there's no mistaking its raw power, humanity and urgent concern.' Charles Spencer, Daily Telegraph 'Set in London's contemporary East End, this is an assured, humourous, ultimately grim drama ... a revenge tragedy for our times, with violent retribution tied in with today's complicated black culture of "respect".' Kate Bassett, Independent on Sunday

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