Our new play Favour by Ambreen Razia is a hopeful and touching drama following Leila, a daughter caught between her westernised mother Aleena and traditional grandmother Noor. The family navigates life as Aleena returns from prison to their home in the heart of a South Asian Muslim community in Ilford. Feeling the conflict between her mother and grandma, and pressure from either side to live life on their terms, Leila must decide what she wants her life to look like – for herself.
The duty, expectation and familial shame that comes with being a daughter are themes at the centre of Favour. While exploring these topics at Clean Break, a brilliant organisation called Home Girls Unite came to mind straight away.
Home Girls Unite are a small but impactful organisation which exists to support eldest daughters from immigrant families - ‘eldest’ not only referring to birth order, but the ‘parentification’ which many daughters experience. The organisation was formed by Hanna and Yasin, two young women who participated in the FORWARD* Young Women’s Leadership Programme. After taking part in the programme, the founders realised that eldest daughters are a group who have huge expectations placed upon them by families and communities, but are often overlooked. From this, Home Girls Unite was formed.
While Favour was in rehearsals, Home Girls Unite came to visit Clean Break’s building to meet the cast and sit down with Ambreen to discuss the play and how its themes intersect with their mission. Listen on Apple, Spotify, Google, or here:
Favour is on at Bush Theatre until 6 August 2022.
We will also be holding two post-show events during the run:
12 July – Parental imprisonment and the impact on families
Hosted by Clean Break, including Sarah Burrows, founder and CEO of Children Heard and Seen and Kate Fraser, Head of Prison Partnerships and Participation at Women in Prison and Ambreen Razia, writer of Favour.
27 July (evening) – Women, racism and cultural disparities in the Criminal Justice System
Hosted by Clean Break Co-Chair Alison Frater, including Sofia Buncy, founder of Muslim Women in Prison and Marchu Girma, CEO of Hibiscus Initiatives and Ambreen Razia, writer of Favour.
*FORWARD (Foundation for Women’s Health Research and Development) is the leading African women-led organisation working to end violence against women and girls.
