Introduction

The Introduction for We Need New Stories. 

In partnership with Nottingham City Libraries and funded by the National Lottery’s Heritage Fund, “We Need New Stories” is an intergenerational oral history project that runs alongside our new touring production of ‘We Need New Names’ by Mufaro Makubika, based on the book by NoViolet Bulawayo.

“We Need New Stories” saw us work with young people of African heritage in the Nottingham area from Autumn 2022 onwards. After undertaking training in oral history, photography, film-making and audio skills, the young people interviewed first-generation Zimbabwean migrants in Nottingham, using their new skills to gather the interviewees’ personal stories of migration. Professional playwright Zodwa Nyoni then dramatised these interviews into a series of audio plays. The audio plays are now available for free online.

Young people received first-hand experience of working in a creative environment and took portrait photographs of the interviewees under the guidance of a professional photographer. They shadowed professional directors, actors and sound designers during the recording process of the interviews and the audio dramas created from them. As well as being released online, the final audio dramas will be showcased in a pop-up touring exhibition that accompanies the tour of WE NEED NEW NAMES, along with a range of photography, and personal ephemera from the people that were interviewed.

The recorded interviews and accompanying material will be stored in Nottingham City Libraries archive so that future generations can access them; and will be made available online via Fifth Word’s and Nottingham Libraries websites. The project will help share personal migrant experiences and will celebrate the integral contribution of people from the African diaspora to Nottingham’s social heritage.

Credits

Writer: Zodwa Nyoni

Director: Anastasia Osei-Kuffour

Sound Designer: Adam McCready

Producers: Saziso Phiri & Laura Ford 

Actors:

Introduction

Read by 

Chiedza Rwodzi

Artwork: Kim Thompson

What is We Need New Stories?

We Need New Stories is a series of 9 short new audio stories inspired by oral history interviews of Zimbabwean-born residents living in Nottingham.

Everyone featured in the oral histories were interviewed on camera in October 2022 by young people from the African diaspora. The resulting stories have been dramatised by playwright Zodwa Nyoni and recorded by actors.

You can view the original oral history interviews on each of the episode pages on Fifth Word's Website and in person at Nottingham Local Studies Library. The series also contains a bonus episode featuring an interview between playwright Zodwa Nyoni and director Anastasia Osei-Kuffour about the making of these audio stories.

All episodes are available for free on major listening platforms. Some stories contain sensitive subject matter including references to violence and racism.

This project has been supported by the National Lottery’s Heritage Fund, Nottingham Playhouse and The Space.

Welcome to Fifth Word's We Need New Stories. This is a series of nine short stories inspired by oral history interviews of Zimbabwean born residents living in Nottingham. The people featured in the oral histories were interviewed on camera in October 2022 by young people from the African Diaspora. The resulting stories have been dramatized by Zodwa Nyoni and recorded by actors.

You can view the original oral history interviews on Fifth Word's website and at Nottingham local studies library who were partners on this project. The series also contains a bonus episode featuring an interview between the playwright Zodwa Nyoni and Director Anastasia Osei-Kuffour about the making of these audio stories.

If you enjoyed the stories, please share the series with others. All episodes are available on major listening platforms and on Fifth Word's website. Some stories contain sensitive subject matter, including references to violence and racism. This project has been supported by the National Lottery's Heritage Fund, Nottingham Playhouse, and the Space.