Fatuma Adar in ‘She’s Not Special’ (Next Stage Festival 2022), Photo by Connie Tsang

“Black Excellence is a scam.”

Whaaaaat? 

Restrain your woke, righteous indignation for just sec, though; let this Black, Muslim woman contextualize her statement.

Fatuma Adar’s She’s Not Special was my favourite entry in last year’s Next Stage Festival. It was one of the few pandemic digital-theatre presentations that didn’t feel desperately cobbled together and depressingly flat. Presented live by Tarragon and Nightwood, this musical-comedy solo confessional feels both flashy and guileless—a giddy blend of pop-star spectacle and intimate, earnest testimonial. Continue Reading