Ozwald Boateng, if you Must

A story about Johnny, a 40-something Black man on his first day selling the Big Issue, exploring the colliding consequences of grief, racism and a system stacked against him, by multi-award winning playwright and Cardboard Citizens Ambassador, Roy Williams, performed by David Olapoju.

“Don’t breeze yourself by us, believing that it is just bad luck that I am here, it happens. It happens to us, it could happen to you. We are complicated, same as everyone else. Because all I wanted to do tat day was cry for my father. I told you about my suit yes? That I had a nice suit too. I told you? A good job, banging car."

Current statistics reveal the deep inequality of homelessness in the UK, with 1 in 23 Black households becoming homeless versus 1 in 83 households from all other ethnicities combined. The Black community is eleven times more likely to live in temporary accommodation, despite representing only 15% of England’s population. Johnny might be a character, but his experience in Ozwald, Boateng If You Must reflects the real experiences of many Big Issue vendors across the country.