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Tribe of Two

A queer coming-of-age story. Mixed-race Mari is expected to follow in her father’s musical footsteps, but the visit of a distant cousin from Zimbabwe turns her world upside down.

Growing up in Devon’s sleepiest market-town, Mari has never felt she belongs. There’s the day-to-day trials that come with being a mixed-race kid in noughties rural England. And then there’s Baba, her larger-than-life Zimbabwean father – a local celebrity on the world music festival circuit.

Baba is desperate for Mari to learn his songs and follow in his footsteps, and Mari plays along. Literally. But she feels little connection to a country and a culture that Baba has always been strangely reluctant to talk about.

All that changes one blissful, teenage summer, when a daring distant cousin comes to visit from Zim. A fuse is lit in Mari that will blow the familiar certainties of her old life apart. When she swaps her dad’s world of festivals for uni in Plymouth, the town’s straight-talking, rough-edged gay scene offers a fresh sense of identity.

But will Mari’s new-found strength be enough to confront a dark family secret?

A story of multifaceted identities and what it means to truly make your own kind of music.

By Malaika Kegode

Mari ..... Mae Munuo
Makenda ….. Mogali Masuku
Baba ..... Cyril Nri
Mum/Chrissie ..... Mary Woodvine
Ben ….. Nay Oliver Murphy
Salt Peter/Hippy ….. Stephen Kennedy
The Jess’s/Form teacher ….. Jade Matthew
Lad ..... Flynn Hallman

Other voices played by the cast

Composer, Harry Wrigley
Mbira player and composer, Otto Gumaelius

Sound design, Adam Woodhams
Mix, Steve Bond

Executive producer, Nicolas Jackson
Director/Producer, Jesse Fox

An Afonica production for ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 4

Available now

44 minutes

Last on

Wed 11 Sep 2024 14:15

Broadcast

  • Wed 11 Sep 2024 14:15

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