Tatenda Shamiso

Tatenda Shamiso
BornNovember 1999 (age 26)
California, USA
Alma materGoldsmiths, University of London
OccupationsTheatre director, performer, and writer
Writing career
GenreDrama
Notable workNo I.D. (2023)
Notable awardsStandard Theatre Award for Emerging Talent (2023)
Websitewww.tatendashamiso.com

Tatendo Shamiso (born November 1999) is an American theatre performer, director, and writer based in London, England. He was the winner of the 2023 Standard Theatre Award for Emerging Talent as writer and performer of the one-man play No I.D., staged at the Royal Court Theatre, which was inspired by his personal experience as a transgender man.[1]

Early life and education

Shamiso was born in California in the United States to a Zimbabwean mother and a Belgian father.[2] He attended a Catholic school during his childhood.[3]

Shamiso moved to Switzerland and eventually to London in the United Kingdom to study for a BA in Acting and Performance Making at Goldsmiths, University of London.[4]

Career

Shamiso has directed and co-directed theatre productions at the Bristol Old Vic and a number of Off West End venues, such as Theatre Royal Stratford East, Shoreditch Town Hall, and Soho Theatre.[5] His first major credit was as an assistant director to Rebecca Frecknall in her production of A Streetcar Named Desire at the Almeida Theatre in 2022-23.[6][3] In 2023, he was an assistant director in the UK premiere of Robert O'Hara's Bootycandy at Gate Theatre, London. Shamiso also stepped in as a cover cast member in this production and his performance was commended in The Telegraph, which gave the production an overall five star review.[7] In 2024, he was an associate director in the West End transfer of Ryan Calais Cameron's For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy at Garrick Theatre.[8]

As a writer, his breakout work was the play No I.D., in which he was also the solo performer. It was performed at Theatre Peckham as part of the Peckham Fringe Festival[9] and the Young, Gifted and Black season in 2022,[10] before being picked up by Royal Court Theatre the following year. The production received four out of five star reviews from The Guardian[11] and WhatsOnStage[12] as well as five stars from Time Out London.[13]

Recognition

Shamiso was the winner of the 2023 Standard Theatre Award for Emerging Talent.[14] He was also named as one of London's unsung LGBTQ+ heroes by The Standard in 2024.[15]

Works

Year Title Venue(s)/Production Roles Note/Refs
Director Writer Performer
2021–2023 Sundown Kiki and Sundown Kiki: Reloaded, by Jay Jay Revlon Young Vic No No Yes [16][17]
2022 Housewarming Theatre Peckham Primary director Yes No [18]
2022–2023 No I.D. Theatre Peckham (2022); Royal Court Theatre (2023) No Yes Yes [2][10]
2022–2023 A Streetcar Named Desire Almeida Theatre Assistant director No No [6]
2023 Bootycandy, by Robert O'Hara Gate Theatre, London Assistant director No Cover cast member [7]
2023 The Village Almeida Theatre No Co-writer No Performed by Almeida Young Company (14-18)[19][20]
2023–2026 Choir Boy, by Tarell Alvin McCraney Bristol Old Vic (2023) and Theatre Royal Stratford East (2026) Associate director No No Co-directed with Nancy Medina[21][22]
2024 For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy Garrick Theatre Associate director No No [8]
2024–2025 1884, by Rhianna Ilube Shoreditch Town Hall (2024) and UK tour (2024-25) Primary director No No [23]
2025 A Good House, by Amy Jephta Royal Court Theatre and Bristol Old Vic Associate director No No Co-directed with Nancy Medina[24][25]
2025 I thought this would feel good, by Travis Alabanza Charleston Festival Primary director No No Starring Dylan Mulvaney[26]
2025–2026 Eat The Rich (but maybe not me mates x), by Jade Franks Pleasance Theatre (Edinburgh Fringe, 2025); UK Tour (Soho Theatre, Liverpool Everyman, and Bristol Old Vic; 2026) Primary director No No [27][28][5][29]

Published playtext

  • Falase, Abi; Shamiso, Tatenda (2023). The Village (1st ed.). London: Nick Hern Books. ISBN 9781788507356.

References

  1. ↑ Dyke, Isobel Van (24 November 2023). "Meet Tatenda Shamiso: the young actor amplifying trans voices on stage". The Standard. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  2. 1 2 "No I.D." Royal Court - Living Archive. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  3. 1 2 Massey, Jon (10 March 2026). "Choir Boy gears up for joyful run in London at Stratford East". Wharf Life. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  4. ↑ "BA Acting and Performance Making". Goldsmiths, University of London. Archived from the original on 13 April 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  5. 1 2 "5 Minutes with Tatenda Shamiso | Director of 'Eat The Rich'". Bristol Old Vic. 23 June 2026. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  6. 1 2 "A Streetcar Named Desire". Almeida Theatre. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Bootycandy: the most startling show in London – and a lesson for the Arts Council". The Telegraph. 18 February 2023. Archived from the original on 19 March 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Photos: For Black Boys… at the West End's Garrick Theatre". West End Theatre. 5 March 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  9. ↑ "No ID @ Theatre Peckham (Peckham Fringe 2022) Review - Theatrefullstop". Theatre Full Stop. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  10. 1 2 Taylor, Bryony Rae (27 September 2022). "Artists From Theatre Peckham's YOUNG, GIFTED & BLACK Introduce Their Shows: Part One". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  11. ↑ Wyver, Kate (20 April 2023). "No ID review – a frank, funny and intimate exploration of gender transition". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  12. ↑ Crompton, Sarah (24 April 2023). ""No I.D." at the Royal Court Theatre – review". WhatsOnStage.com. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  13. ↑ Ryan, Anya (21 April 2023). "No ID | Theatre in London". Time Out London. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  14. ↑ Dex, Robert (20 November 2023). "Sir Elton John, Nicole Scherzinger and Sir Sam Mendes star at our theatre awards". The Standard. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  15. ↑ Dyke, Isobel Van (30 May 2024). "Meet London's unsung LGBTQIA+ heroes". The Standard. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  16. ↑ "Sundown Kiki". Young Vic website. 5 November 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  17. ↑ "Sundown Kiki Reloaded". Young Vic website. Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  18. ↑ Taylor, Bryony Rae (10 October 2022). "Artists From Theatre Peckham's YOUNG, GIFTED & BLACK Introduce Their Shows: Part Two". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  19. ↑ "The Village / Rush - Almeida Young Company". Almeida Theatre. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  20. ↑ Wild, Stephi (6 December 2022). "Almeida Theatre Announces Casting and New Almeida Young Company Productions". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  21. ↑ "Choir Boy". Bristol Old Vic. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  22. ↑ "Choir Boy". www.stratfordeast.com. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  23. ↑ "1884". www.koro.org.uk. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  24. ↑ "A Good House By Amy Jephta". Royal Court - Living Archive. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  25. ↑ "A Good House". Bristol Old Vic. 23 June 2026. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  26. ↑ "The Charleston Monologue: I thought this would feel good". Charleston. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  27. ↑ Fisher, Mark (4 August 2025). "Eat the Rich (But Maybe Not Me Mates X) review – scorching comedy about class privilege". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  28. ↑ Writer, Staff (12 December 2025). "Edinburgh Fringe Hit Eat the Rich (but maybe not me mates x) Announces Liverpool and Bristol Dates". Theatre Weekly. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  29. ↑ Trench, Zia (12 June 2026). "Theatre review: Eat the Rich (but maybe not me mates x) from JFR Productions and Soho Theatre at Soho Theatre". British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
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