Shifters

‘So good — laugh-out-loud funny and tears-to-the-eyes moving… Grounded in cultural specifics but universal in its appeal, Shifters is a mercurial, quick-witted yet poetic examination of love, memories and grief… a perceptive and exhilarating blend of fast, smart banter and philosophical sensitivity… Lombe’s touching, emotionally intelligent and contemporary black British love story is itself easy to fall in love with’

‘A play with real heart and soul… Shifters builds its own distinct world and organically incorporates ideas around abuse, grief, family trauma and the Black body alongside its questions about love and fate’

‘Pretty much the perfect bittersweet rom-com… a fresh and delightful romantic drama, beautifully written and acted’

‘An exquisitely poetic romance… Lombe’s writing is suffused with wit and warmth… Shifters skillfully tackles everyday issues – from mental health to grief to class inequality – without ever laying them on too thick. At the heart of this drama is the connection between the two leads, at once electric and sweetly endearing’

‘A bittersweet, woozy rom-com… smouldering and soulful… Lombe is a beautiful, nuanced and soulful writer and this is a romance overflowing with heart’

‘Exquisitely written… very funny, profoundly moving… the best new writing currently on the London stage’

‘Alive and unpredictable… every moment feels on the pulse, humour blowing away sentimentality… I can’t remember being in the theatre when each new twist was accompanied by so many squeals, exasperated sighs and urgings-on’

‘Confident and compelling… a play unafraid to take its time, unfolding with careful tenderness… Shifters features one kiss in particular which you’re unlikely to see the equal of onstage this year’

‘Distils the giddy wonder of falling in love for the first time… a tender, cosmic and cleverly unpredictable love story that will leave you wishing for a sequel’

‘Heartwarming and devastating… Generating instant audience investment and a complex couple to root for, Shifters is an affecting romcom full of sharply observed behaviours’

‘Sharp, fast-moving and authentic in its characterisation… a tightly structured, intelligently written play, devastating in moments of laid-bare emotion… A gorgeous, natural piece of writing from an undeniable talent, Shifters will break hearts, piece them back together again’

‘Fiercely sharp and deeply moving… heart-wrenchingly powerful… a theatrical triumph’

‘It’s heart-wrenching. It’s unapologetically romantic and is the black love story that’s been missing from the stage’

‘A deeply perceptive piece from an undeniably talented writer’

‘Dazzling… An absolutely intoxicating piece of new writing’

Benedict Lombe is a British Congolese writer and theatre-maker based in London. Her plays include: Shifters (Bush Theatre London & West End, 2024) and Lava (Bush Theatre, 2021). Lava, her debut play, won Best Performance Piece at the 2022 Offies (Off West End Awards) and the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize in 2022. Lombe also won the Book and Lyrics Recognition Award at the 2021 Black British Theatre Awards.