We sat down with Montel Douglas to discuss One Way Out at Brixton House, the debut play by Montel.
1.Dominique arrived when she was just nine, and over time became your big sister. What’s one memory of the two of you that always makes you smile? Playing games and just being kids blackjack, hide and seek, dancing to Michael Jackson in the kitchen. We’d watch MTV Base, then fight over the remote to decide whether it was going to be Disney Channel or Nickelodeon. That chaos, that joy, it’s the little moments that remind me how close we really were, even through the changes.
2. You said the golden rule — ‘write what you know’ — led you to Dominique. What was it like reconnecting with her story as an artist, not just a cousin? There was a sense of creative drive I’d never felt before. Normally, ideas come and go but this one wouldn’t let go of me. Because it was rooted in truth, in family, I felt I had a duty to tell it with care. I owed it to Dominique to share her story. But I also knew it had to work as a piece of theatre , it couldn’t just be catharsis. It needed to carry weight while still holding humour, love, and lightness. That balance was everything.
3. What was the hardest part of writing One Way Out — and what part flowed out of you almost too easily? The monologue Fight for Your Rights came out of me effortlessly. It’s a scene where Devonte confronts his mum about his status, a conversation I’ve wanted to have in real life but never could. Out of respect, fear, or just family dynamics, those words never left my mouth. So I gave them to Devonte, and I wrote them with complete honesty. I hope, one day, my mum hears it and knows those questions came from love. The hardest parts were the interrogation scenes where Devonte is being questioned by authorities. Getting the language right, the legal accuracy, and the psychological pressure of those environments took time. I consulted legal professionals and did deep research to make sure it wasn’t just emotionally truthful, but systemically accurate.
4.How did researching the Hostile Environment and immigration policies affect your sense of responsibility as a writer?
It shifted everything. It wasn’t just storytelling it became accountability. Understanding how immigration policies have been designed to confuse, isolate, and penalise people who’ve lived here their whole lives made me realise how much gets left unsaid. I started carrying the weight of all the voices that don’t get heard. I knew I couldn’t speak for everyone, but I could open a window. That responsibility made me sharper, braver more willing to push the uncomfortable truths through the work.
5. What would you say to someone who’s sitting under their own metaphorical tree right now — full of stories, but unsure how or where to begin?
Fail. Then fail again. Get the work in front of people test it, learn from it. One Way Out is now on its third run, and each version taught me something new. Be the best version of yourself at that time — that’s all you can do. Start with what you know, and then research what you don’t. Be curious, be bold. Find mentors, build your tribe, stay rooted in your why. And write like someone needs your story, because they probably do.