Walking while Black, and other refugee memories
Daniel Nelson
A neighbour’s curtain twitches when the unknown Black man walks past. Minutes later the police turn up. They ask what he’s doing and take his name and address.
It’s not a remarkable incident for an African in a small, foreign, predominantly White town, and he’s not the first or last person of colour to come under suspicion for walking while Black.
But the man telling the story at London’s Soho Theatre is unusual in that he is a refugee from Rwanda whose family had to wait 14 years for resettlement, has stared down the barrel of a gun in the family’s first country of refuge, and his name is Oliver Twist.
He recounts this and other incidents quietly, with humour and a subtle punchline: “How many escapes does one have to make in life?”
Jali By Oliver Twist is a one-man, one-hour show, unflashy but engaging. No props, just occasional piercing lighting and sudden darkness, as he walks across the stage to begin another memory.
Each episode is carefully polished over hundreds of tellings: there’s little trace of his former life as a stand-up comedian. His put-downs of ignorance or prejudice reflect intelligent bemusement rather than overt anger. He holds the stage confidently: not a victim, but a smart, reflective man who sees the injustice and harshness of the world around him and thinks for himself.
That last capacity is exemplified in his chosen name, which is not the result of his parents reading Charles Dickens.
For the explanation you’ll have to see this thoughtful, moving show.
Jali By Oliver Twist, from £13, is at the Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1 until 24 June. Info: https://sohotheatre.com/events/jali-by-oliver-twist/
+ https://www.eventslondon.org/recommended/rwandas-oliver-twist-tells-his-refugee-story Rwanda’s Oliver Twist tells his refugee story