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• Leave Taking by Winsome Pinnock is a play that follows the lives of the Matthews family, their friend Brod and a local Obeahwoman called Mai.

• It is set in London in the 1980s.

• In the play, Enid Matthews is worried about her daughters Del and Viv, for very different reasons. She seeks guidance from Mai and Brod, who share Enid’s Jamaican heritage.

• What follows is an exploration of identity, culture and family through the ways in which each character develops.

Remember

Remember, even though the characters and events are similar to parts of Winsome Pinnock’s own life, this play is still a fictional narrative.

Follow the timeline to revise 10 key moments from the play.

The opening scene of Leave Taking is set in Mai’s bedsit in Deptford, south-east London. The stage directions say it is "very messy", with many items scattered around. Enid has brought her two daughters, Del and Viv, to Mai for a clairvoyant reading.

Both Del and Viv are sceptical of Mai’s powers, especially Del, who complains about the smell and mocks the different spiritual items around the room. However, Enid persists, even paying Mai extra as it is a Bank Holiday. Enid says that "the older you get, the more you find out you got to protect yourself".

Enid asks Mai to confirm if her mother in Jamaica is ill, as she does not believe her sister’s requests for money for doctors. Enid is also worried about Del, and she tries to make Mai reveal whether Del is pregnant or not.

As the Matthews family leave, Mai offers to listen if Del needs someone to talk to, but Del rejects this offer. Mai tells Del to return the charm which she has secretly put in her pocket.

The scene changes to Enid’s flat in an estate, somewhere in north London. Enid is preparing for a visit from the Pastor, who is coming to give the family a blessing. Viv is reading.

Brod enters. He talks to Viv and Enid about how he spent his youth in Jamaica and criticises Enid for not telling her daughters more about their Caribbean heritage. Brod is also concerned about his British citizenship that he has paid £50 for. He worries that it could be rescinded.

Del enters. After being questioned by Enid, she is forced to admit that she has lost her job and was out dancing the night before. Enid and Del argue, resulting in Enid slapping Del. Del leaves and Viv goes after her. Brod and Enid continue to prepare for the Pastor’s visit.

A few hours later, Enid and Brod are discussing the Pastor’s visit. Enid is worried about the Pastor's opinion. Brod is reminiscing about attitudes to religion in Jamaica. Enid and Brod laugh and dance to reggae music.

Viv enters and the phone rings. It is Cynthia, Enid’s sister in Jamaica. While waiting for the phone call to connect, Enid says that people in Jamaica "think we have so much. They don't imagine how we live over here".

Cynthia tells Enid that her mother has died and asks Enid to wire money for the funeral. In shock, Enid leaves the flat to send the money.

Later that evening, Enid grieves her mother's death. She talks to Viv about her family, her childhood and her relationship with Viv’s father, as well as her past desire to move to America. Enid gives Viv money she has saved for her to use at university.

The action moves to a few weeks later. Del is living with Mai in her bedsit. Their conversation is lively, as they adjust to living with each other.

Viv arrives to speak to Del. They joke about Mai and about Del’s pregnancy. Viv gives Del the money from Enid, to help her with the costs of bringing up a child. Viv tells Del that she has walked out of her English Literature exam that morning as an act of rebellion. Del is furious and the two argue. Del forces Viv to leave.

In this scene, Viv says:

No matter how hard I search for myself in them books, I'm never there.

Viv is frustrated with reading books where she can’t see herself or her own reality and heritage reflected. It's not just the race of characters she's hoping to see represented: it's culture, language, attitudes and settings.

Viv goes on to do Black Studies at university as she continues the search for her identity.

That evening, Enid is at Mai's for a reading. Enid is worried about her daughters and her parenting. Enid also feels unwell and guilty for leaving her mother in Jamaica. Mai lets her speak and gives her some herbal remedies for the physical symptoms of Enid’s feelings.

After Enid leaves, Del enters. Mai tries to persuade Del to reconcile with Enid. Del tells Mai she thinks her mother hates her, and Mai tells Del a little about her own son, who she is estranged from.

The next morning, Brod wakes up in Mai’s bedsit to find Mai and Del standing over him. Brod tells them that Enid had kicked him and Viv out of her house the night before. He says that Enid has been depressed since Del left.

Brod talks about his yearning to see his children in Jamaica. He also tells Del about how her father became abusive towards Enid after being racially attacked himself in London, but Del does not want to listen.

A few weeks later, Mai is training Del on Obeah practices. They are taking care of each other and Del appears to have a natural talent for the work that Mai does. Mai gives Del her notebook of spells.

Mai leaves and Enid enters: Enid has made an appointment for a reading. Del starts shuffling the fortune-telling cards but she is nervous and asks about her father instead. Del also tries to give Enid the money back that Viv had passed on to her.

Enid unburdens herself of her guilt and frustrations. The play ends with Del preparing to read Enid's palm. Enid says:

Test your knowledge of the plot of Leave Taking by completing this multiple-choice quiz.