Monkeyface - Raphael Phillips

Monkeyface is a fierce, funny and intimate solo show about identity, isolation and the search for belonging.

Set largely inside a university bedroom, Raphael Phillips’ debut play follows one young Black queer student through the messy, euphoric and bruising world of Freshers Week, halls, club culture, toxic friendships, desire, racism, mental health and self-acceptance.

At first, university promises reinvention: new friends, new nights out, new versions of the self. But as the room becomes a refuge, then a trap, Monkeyface begins to confront the loneliness of trying to belong in spaces that were never built with them in mind. Predominantly white queer clubs, student parties, Black cultural spaces and strained friendships all offer moments of recognition, but no easy answers.

Combining sharp comedy, direct address, memory and raw emotional honesty, Monkeyface is a powerful contemporary play about what it means to be Black, queer, young, anxious, visible and invisible all at once.

This edition includes a Q&A with playwright Raphael Phillips and director Mojola Akinyemi, plus questions for study, discussion and performance.

CAST: 1 actor

DURATION: 70 minutes

A fierce, funny and intimate solo show about a young Black queer student navigating university, nightlife, racism, mental health and the search for belonging.