Maryam Garad is a British/Somali playwright and actor from London. Her debut play Reparations was shortlisted for the Mustapha Matura award. Her writing primarily centres on the Black Muslim experience with the goal of allowing those that share her experiences to see themselves truthfully on stage. Her writing has been staged at Riverside Studios, Bush Theatre and Omnibus theatre. She is a recipient of Bush Theatre’s Bloom Bursary and is a part of the current London Library Emerging Writers’ Group. Maryam was joint winner of Soho Theatre’s Tony Craze Award. Reparations showed at Soho Theatre as part of the annual Soho Rising festival.
After spending three years in prison for shoplifting, Aisha decides to transform her life and go on a self healing journey. Her plans are derailed when she meets V – a wealthy young woman who she falls deeply infatuated with. Aisha soon comes to the logical conclusion that stealing material items is simply not enough… True healing will come when she steals this rich lady’s life.
How does Aisha’s decision to embark on a self-healing journey after prison set the stage for the show’s exploration of redemption and transformation?
From the first moment we meet Aisha we find her with a determination to better herself. As a prison leaver and someone who has had a troubled past, she tries to rid herself of her shoplifting addiction, but everything changes when Aisha meets V, the wealthy lady that becomes the object of her obsession. Through meeting her Aisha believes she has found her purpose – to fake her identity and steal a spot in this woman’s life. Although Aisha believes transforming herself and becoming this alter ego will bring her justice, she discovers that true reparations for the neglect she has faced come from learning to accept her true self.
In what ways does Aisha’s infatuation with V, the wealthy woman, add complexity to her pursuit of true healing, and what challenges emerge from this relationship?
Her infatuation with V develops due to her belief that if she emulates her she will find happiness. Her desire to copy her ultimately goes too far as she tries to take everything away from her. The challenges that arise from this relationship are due to Aisha’s naivety. Reality eventually hits her when she realises that V isn’t her guardian angel and they aren’t anything alike.
How does the show address the moral and ethical dimensions of Aisha’s choice to steal not material items but the life of V, offering insights into her character and motivations?
Aisha has suffered neglect from her family but also systematically. Her lying and stealing comes from the fact that it’s all she’s ever known and gives her control to decide her own fate. So although she might do unethical things we find ourselves rooting for her as we watch from her perspective. Also, Aisha doesn’t have ill intent. Her goal isn’t to hurt anyone. When things get messy it’s because she’s desperate to not go back to her old life, a life filled with pain and loss.
Can you highlight how the show uses Aisha’s journey and the plot twist to delve into themes of societal expectations, personal identity, and the pursuit of fulfilment?
We live in a very capitalist world that has made us automatically categorise people into different groups, those that seem to be winning in life and those that seem to be losing. When you take into account the other layers of marginalisation that Aisha has, as a Black, Muslim, working-class woman who is a prison leaver, she’s essentially not given the space to feel comfortable in her identity. The world has branded her as not worthy, as forgettable. So we watch Aisha go on a journey in pursuit of being seen. To lead a life where society does not view people like her through a lens of pity. She ultimately realises that true reparations come from her loving all the intricacies that make her Aisha.