Shifters: a fierce new romance by Benedict Lombe now on at The Duke of York’s Theatre
Dre turns around and sees Des standing at the doorway. He looks at her — almost in a daze: this is the moment he has yearned for. Des returns Dre’s gaze, and there they stand — suspended in time — eye to eye and a world in between them. Eventually, Des is the first to avert her eyes and, looking down, rubs her sweaty palms against her thighs, calming her nerves. There is a pregnant pause, full of promise: entangled pasts and unknown futures find common ground, here, in the present. Des lifts her right hand and exposes her palm, stretching her five fingers out in a static yet certain and recognisable greeting. Dre’s gaze remains, unwavering, on Des as the address “hi” escapes cautiously from her lips. Another momentary silence. Des gently lifts her head, once again returning Dre’s gaze. Dre mimics Des’s body language: his right hand lifts towards the sky and lingers slightly above his head; his palm raises to face Des and, with fingers outstretched, he somewhat awkwardly, hesitantly, nervously, waves his hand. “Hi”, he returns softly.
This is not where the play begins, but where Benedict Lombe’s story of love, grief and longing starts in earnest. Over the course of the performance, we will return to this initial greeting again and again – a salutation-turned-motif moving the play outside of linear time. Dre narrates the love story that ensues: “Two little Black kids, destined to oppose each other, push each other, shift each other, until they could be formed again.”

Tosin Cole (Dre) Heather Agyepong (Des) © Marc Brenner.
Shifters, currently on at The Duke of York’s Theatre following a sold-out first run at Bush Theatre, is the story of Dre and Des: two childhood friends who reunite at the wake of Dre’s Nana after eight long years apart. Dre has remained in the town they grew up in and now owns a restaurant, whilst Des has fulfilled her dream and is now a working artist and illustrator in New York.
Shifters serves as a beautiful meditation on the love and healing that is possible when we allow ourselves to truly be perceived and to perceive, whilst weaving together a tale of romance that does not shy away from the challenges and realities of loving, growing and learning as a Black (specifically, dark-skinned) person in the world today. Written by award-winning Congolese British playwright Benedict Lombe and directed by BAFTA-nominated director Lynette Linton, Shifters is only the third play by a Black British playwright to be staged in the West End.
Dre (played by Tosin Cole) is a Nigerian-British man that initially presents as jovial, but it soon becomes apparent that his humorous nature is – in part – a defence mechanism used to deflect from the grief, pain and heartache that he has experienced over the course of his life. Des (played by Heather Agyepong), a Congolese-British woman, appears to be more serious. Where Dre is keen to find distractions from his pain, Des is eager to move beyond the surface. She frequently asks the difficult and sometimes philosophical questions that might reveal what lies beneath. However, things are not that simple. Both Dre and Des are multifaceted people, struggling with their wounded inner children, trying to find their purpose in the world. In many ways, Dre and Des are perfect foils for each other, exposing both the light and the shadow within themselves through their connection.
Lombe’s play adopts a disjointed narrative sequence; Dre and Des’ meandering lives unfold on the stage in a loop, slowly building their shared worlds for the audience through vignettes dispersed across various pivotal moments in their shared history. We meet Dre and Des where they first met: as teenagers and two of the only Black students at their school in a debating class, and put together the jigsaw pieces of their connection as they build a friendship, let their guard down, pursue their dreams and experience heartbreaking pain and life-affirming love. We witness them become adults who follow the messy turns of fate (or chart their own destinies), both committed to pursuing their goals – first together, and then apart, until life brings them together again.

Heather Agyepong (Des) Tosin Cole (Dre) © Marc Brenner.
The character-driven plot is brought to life by Alex Barry’s perfectly sparse set design. Boxes serve multiple functions: practically as stools, but also as archives of love that Des and Dre will rummage through at various points in their relationship, drawing out memories that help us all to make sense of their shifting inner worlds.
In this tender exploration of love and the complex realities of what it means to truly be seen and to see, Shifters explores ‘what was, what should have been and what could still be’. The air between Dre and Des is perfumed by the scent of bittersweet longing; ‘almosts’ and ‘maybes’ hang heavy, like nearly ripefruit desperate to be plucked. This is part of the brilliance of the play. Shifters is not about perfect, neat endings, but rather, is a tale of the love, loss and yearning that defines the human experience.
The cast and creatives of Shifters expertly share a narrative specific to the lives of the Black characters, but that is also universal in its sentiment. Indeed, the play asks us to consider how different it all could be if we could go back in time and do things differently, but how hollow our lives might be without taking the risk to love and be loved.

Tosin Cole (Dre) Heather Agyepong (Des) © Marc Brenner.
What is interesting about Shifters’ transfer to the West End is how the audience seem liberated from their traditional role as passive spectators and join together as a chorus to provide ad libs on pivotal moments through laughter, tears and the occasional deep sigh of disbelief. Whilst the West End is a place that draws less diverse audiences than Bush Theatre (where the play was originally staged), it is delightful to see swathes of Black people – some who had travelled from France purely to watch the show – come together to quench their thirst for a Black British romance story. It goes to show just how true Benedict Lombe’s comments are on why Shifters is a story for now:
“Now more than ever, we need a tapestry of stories that allow us to see everyone in their full humanity. We need depictions of romantic leads that redefine the ‘norm’. We need stories about connection and healing that help us to remember how powerful it is to meet each other in the middle.”
Date: Shifters runs at until 12 October 2024. Running time: Running Time 100mins, no interval. Location: The Duke of York’s TheatreSt Martin's Ln, London WC2N 4BG. Price: from £20. shifterstheplay.co.uk
Review by Adwoa Owusu-Barnieh
Robyn Orlin had her first encounter with the rickshaw drivers of Durban at the young age of five or six, an experience that left such a deep impression on her that she later sought to learn more about their fate. Rickshaws were first introduced to Durban in 1892…
TOZI, derived from the affectionate Venetian slang for “a close-knit group of friends,” is the brainchild of an Italian trio that met while opening Shoreditch House under the Soho House Group. In 2013, Chef Maurilio Molteni, fresh from his time as Head Chef at Shoreditch House and developing the menu at Cecconi’s, opened the first TOZI restaurant in London…
Multitudes at Southbank Centre will reimagine live music through bold collaborations across dance, theatre, and visual arts…
Multitudes Festival · Ed Atkins, Tate Britain · Brick Lane Jazz Festival · Teatro La Plaza’s Hamlet · Holly Blakey: A Wound with Teeth & Phantom · Roof East · Hampton Court Palace Tulip Festival 2025 · London Marathon 2025 · ROOH – Within Her · Sultan Stevenson Presents El Roi · Carmen at The Royal Opera House · The Big Egg Hunt 2025 · Architecture on Stage: New Architects · The Friends of Holland Park Annual Art Exhibition 2025
Autumn 2025 will bring two exciting exhibitions to the Barbican: ‘Dirty Looks’, a bold fashion exhibition exploring imperfection and decay, and an innovative art installation by Lucy Raven in The Curve…
Robyn Orlin: We wear our wheels with pride · Architecture on Stage: Lütjens Padmanabhan · Jay Bernard: Joint · Black is the Color of My Voice · Joe Webb Trio · Rhodri Davies at Cafe OTO · Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award 2025 · Lyon Opera Ballet: Cunningham Forever · AVA London · Sister Midnight · Astonishing Things: The Drawings of Victor Hugo · Eunjo Lee · Arpita Singh: Remembering · Fiona Banner aka The Vanity Press: Disarm · Bunhead Bakery · Time & Talents
Looking for something truly special this Mother’s Day? There are a variety of unique gifts and experiences to take advantage of in London, whether your mother loves exploring world-class art galleries and museum exhibitions, wandering through historic homes filled with fascinating stories and remarkable collections, indulging in a luxurious spa treatment, or enjoying an unforgettable dining experience..
After 18 successful years at Edinburgh Fringe, The Big Bite Size Show arrives in London for the first time at The Pleasance Theatre, no less. A gem of a place for fringe theatre in London…
180 Studios will present the largest showcase of photographer and filmmaker Gabriel Moses’ work to date, featuring over 70 photographs and 10 films in March…
Cartier Exhibition at the V&A · Giuseppe Penone: Thoughts in the Roots · Antony Gormley: WITNESS · Richard Wright at Camden Art Centre · The Carracci Cartoons: Myths in the Making · Eileen Perrier: A Thousand Small Stories · Ed Atkins at Tate Britain · Richard Hunt: Linear Peregrination · Nolan Oswald Dennis at Gasworks · Nora Turato: pool7 · In House: Ree Bradley and Pete Gomes at Studio Voltaire…
The Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art at Kew Gardens will showcase new botanical works, cinematic installations, and the connections between artists and trees…
Orchid Festival · Alice Sara Ott: John Field & Beethoven · Our Mighty Groove at Sadler’s Wells East · Seth Troxler at Fabric · North London Laughs – A Charity Comedy Night · London Symphony Orchestra: Half Six Fix – Walton · In Focus: Amir Naderi · Artist Talk: Citra Sasmita - Into Eternal Land · Noah Davis at Barbican · Theaster Gates: 1965: Malcolm in Winter: A Translation Exercise · Ai Weiwei: A New Chapter · Galli: So, So, So · Somaya Critchlow: The Chamber
An important exhibition has opened at the National Gallery co-organised with the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Mayor of Siena, Nicoletta Fabio was in attendance on opening day to mark the exhibitions significance. Normally a major exhibition would take two to three years to come to fruition, in this instance, it has been in the making for eight year…
Máret Ánne Sara to create 2025 Hyundai Commission as Tate and Hyundai extend partnership to 2036.
Claudia Pagès Rabal: Five Defence Towers · Tirzah Garwood: Beyond Ravilious · Heather Agyepong: Through Motion · Christina Kimeze · Citra Sasmita: Into Eternal Land · Mire Lee: Open Wound · Linder: Danger Came Smiling · Galli: So, So, So · Mickalene Thomas: All About Love …
Marylebone Village to host a week of events championing female founders and entrepreneurs, including a panel discussion and fundraising for the Marylebone Project…
Battersea Power Station will host Good Fit, a month-long event featuring workouts, mindfulness sessions, expert talks, and wellness experiences…
Trisha Brown Dance Company & Noé Soulier – Working Title & In the Fall · (LA)HORDE / Ballet National de Marseille – Age of Content · Lyon Opera Ballet – Merce Cunningham Forever (BIPED and Beach Birds) · Neither Drums Nor Trumpets – Pam Tanowitz · Robyn Orlin – We Wear Our Wheels with Pride
Splash! A Century of Swimming and Style · Astonishing Things: The Drawings of Victor Hugo · Arpita Singh: Remembering · 2025 Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize · The Craft of Carpentry: Drawing Life from Japan’s Forests · Grayson Perry: Delusions of Grandeur · Edvard Munch: Portraits · Ficre Ghebreyesus · Textiles: The Art of Mankind · Eunjo Lee…
Highsnobiety: Not In London · LFW Pop-Up Shop · 1664 Blanc Activation · Alo Wellness Activations · Dylon Detergent Pop-Up: Rethink New Laundrette · Morocco - Kingdom of Light at LFW · Pandora x Priya Ahluwalia Collection · Rixo Exclusive Event · Grow Hackney · Meanwhile…In Shoreditch · DREST · LFW Solana X HAPE Social X Never Fade Factory · London College of Fashion, UAL · Margaret Howell · Nosakhari: Able-Graphy Exhibition · Nosakhari · NET-A-PORTER…
Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels Festival · Arpita Singh: Remembering · Romeo and Juliet · Silent Disco at the Painted Hall · Winter Sculpture Park · Czech Philharmonic/Semyon Bychkov: Shostakovich 5 with Sheku Kanneh-Mason · Robyn Orlin: We Wear Our Wheels with Pride · Jasmin Vardimon NOW…
We are offering you the chance to win five pairs of tickets to the 21st edition of Collect Art Fair, the leading international art fair for contemporary craft and design.
Mickalene Thomas brings with her dazzling, vibrant, rhinestone-adorned portraits of Black women, collages, photographs, installations and sets in which she photographed her muses to London. Her selection of female subjects comes from family members, her circle of friends and ex-partners ensuring we see through the gaze of her sitters the love between them…
Kahani, located in the heart of Sloane Square, offers a contemporary twist on traditional Indian cuisine. The restaurant combines elegant decor with a relaxed yet refined atmosphere…
SOIL is an exhibition with earnest intentions but also a forward-thinking approach. Soil underpins all life on Earth, and while scientists have studied it for centuries, our understanding is still in its infancy…
Outspoken Southbank · Much Ado About · Late at Tate: 80s Valentine’s Special · Sketches of Spain · blackbird hour · Linder: Danger Came Smiling · Goya to Impressionism· The Face Magazine: Culture Shift · Donald Rodney: Visceral Canker · Mickalene Thomas: All About Love · Derrick Adams: Situation Comedy · Flowers – Flora in Contemporary · Hardeep Pandhal: Inner World · Southwark Music: Orchestral Playing Day · Randall & Aubin · Vauxhall City Farm
Since its launch in Morocco, 1-54 has not only contributed to the growing prominence of African contemporary art but has also played a pivotal role in cementing Marrakech as a major cultural destination. This year, the fair took place across two prestigious venues: the luxurious La Mamounia Hotel and DaDa, a multidisciplinary art space in the heart of the Medina…
Brasil! Brasil! is an extensive look at ten important artists in a major new exhibition at the Royal Academy featuring feature over 130 works from the 1910s to the 1970s…
The Cinnamon Club had completely flown under the radar for me. It is in a pocket of London I rarely visit, and even if I did, the building’s exterior gives little indication of what’s inside. But now that I’ve discovered it, I already have plans to return with my husband - and in my mind, a list of friends I would recommend it to…