Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tickets and more information: https://www.bunkertheatre.com/whats-on/little-miss-burden
Booking until: 21st December
Run time: 2hr 30 mins
Production Photographs by: Kofi Dwaah

In Matilda Ibini’s play, we follow three sisters who are presenting the story of Little Miss Burden. Two of the sisters, aptly named Big Sis and Little Sis, are waiting for their middle sibling Little Miss to arrive so they can tell the story. When Little Miss turns thirteen, she receives a gift in the form of limb-girdle muscular dystrophies and the play follows how her life adapts to living with her condition.

Playing Little Miss is Saida Ahmed who delivers a stunning performance, really showing how Little Miss grows from a confused teenager to a confident adult with ease. Alongside her playing multiple characters, but with a focus of playing her sisters, Michelle Tiwo and Ani Nelson also give brilliant performances, switching between characters with incredible ease. The chemistry between the three of them really is electric and creates a wonderful atmosphere.

Matilda Ibini’s script balances the hard truth of living with a condition like LGMD with a great sense of humour and plenty of 90s references. Also, I loved that the play takes place in Hackney where I’m from, so I really felt at home with all the references (including one name drop of the hospital I was born at!). Debbie Hannan’s direction and use of space was really well done. I liked the use of microphones at certain moments in the show, that really increased the amplification of certain scenes in the show.

Overall, I would say this is a very engaging, entertaining and beautiful story about growing up with a physical impairment where the ending is positive. It’s not often these stories are put onto our London stages so we need to support them every way we can. Get yourselves down to the Bunker to catch this brilliant play.

Until next time,