Not Your Superwoman Review

September 22, 2025

Not Your Superwoman Review

Until 1st November 2025

Two big stars, one small stage: a recipe for only magic to happen.

Stepping in the Bush Theatre on Thursday night for the much anticipated performance of Not Your Superwoman, I felt like I had been transported straight to Guyana, where most of the action takes place.

“…this play is an incredible exploration of generational trauma”

Starring Latitia Wright of Black Panther fame, and Golda Rosheuvel, our Bridgerton queen, these two women know how to fill a room. The stage instantly felt alive as the pair stepped forward – no mean feat, as we in the audience had begun to get quite twitchy after an unfortunate 30-minute delay due to technical difficulties.

The story follows a mother, Joyce, and her adult daughter, Erica, following the death of their matriarch, Elaine. They travel to Elaine’s homeland of Guyana, to see her favourite places for themselves and spread her ashes.

The play delves into the theme of generational trauma: how it gets passed down from one to the next and can affect you to your very core, defining your identity and how you perceive yourself. The matriarch had told this mythology that the family has been carrying a curse, but the show does an excellent job of unpacking that and discovering where the trauma is really coming from.

The first half of the show was full of lighthearted fun. The pair bounced off one another and had this palpable chemistry together. The humour centered around showcasing the generational differences between them, but they were still finding ways to connect across that divide. As an audience member, you can see that there is an undertone of uneasiness between mother and daughter, but understand they’re putting on a brave face for one another to ease their complicated relationship.

Slowly this starts to unravel as Joyce and Erica each have their own wobbles away from one another. Wright and Rosheuvel become increasingly raw on stage, nothing held back despite the intimacy of the small theatre. Erica has been going to therapy and throughout the play recites the phrase: “I am worthy. I am loved. I am not alone.” As she paces around the stage, it appears like an army command, drilling the words into her mind to try and combat this internal battle.

They both take turns playing Elaine – symbolic in showing that she lives within them. Using similar hand gestures and a Caribbean accent, they bring her into the room and masterfully show flashbacks so we can understand the parallels between Erica and Joyce, and how they might be more similar than they realise.

I felt the direction from Lynette Linton was masterful. I saw another of her plays, Shifters, in the West End last year and she brings such a human touch to the story that I feel is truly unique. I also loved the lighting and projections used throughout, never distracting, it simply brought another dimension to the story that transformed the space – making that 30-minute technical delay completely worth it.

Overall, this play is an incredible exploration of generational trauma and how women often feel a need to carry their pain alone. With incredible writing by Emma Dennis Edwards, it’s a must-see production.

Photo © Courtney Phillp

Charli West