Benedict Lombe’s Shifters is undoubtedly one of this year’s most-anticipated plays to take over the West End. After a critically-acclaimed season at London’s Bush Theatre, a story of such dimension and power naturally demanded a bigger stage and a bigger audience — twice as many seats, to be exact. At the Duke of York’s Theatre, the cast of two, starring Netflix’s Supacell star Tosin Cole and The Power’s Heather Agyepong, deliver what feels like the most relatable and ordinarily layered love story of all time.

Joyous laughter, tender heartbreak, and the complexities of everything in between, Shifters is a journey through the awkward infatuation of a teen crush to the bittersweet rollercoaster of falling in love for the first time, following high-school sweethearts Des and Dre and their moments of reconnection throughout life. Connecting with Wonderland, Heather Agyepong discusses the brilliant Summer of 2024, how Benedict Lombe’s writing challenges conventional female-led romantic stories, and what’s next. Keep reading…

Hi Heather, thanks so much for chatting with us. How are you today? How’s summer treating you?
I’m having a brilliant summer. Summer in London is my favourite time of the year. Vitamin D is up, plus longer days, and now I’m in an incredible show. Life is beautiful, man.

Massive congratulations on Shifters. Before we dive into the project, could you tell us a bit about your artistic upbringing and how things started for you?
I always wanted to be an actor, so I was in stage schools from an early age. But my folks wanted me to have a backup, so I studied Applied Psychology at university. In my first year, I fell into Photography as an extra module and loved it, so I did a Master’s in it straight after. I pretty much immediately started to sell work. Things were going well, but I still knew I wanted to act, so I decided to pursue both. A black-led theatre company called Talawa kinda took me under their wing. A year later, I got an agent, and yeah – now I’m doing it all.

When did you first fall in love with acting, and who were some of your early influences in the field?
I think I went to see Blood Brothers with my school in Year 8, and I was just blown away. I still remember the songs. To captivate someone’s attention and transform their world felt like magic. I think my biggest influence was my drama teacher, Mr. Lord, as he was pretty much the only person who thought I could do it. He’s actually coming to watch Shifters next week – teachers are everything, man.

What’s your favourite thing about being on stage? And what about this project first caught your attention?
I think our audiences are the best. They’re always so engaged and invested. The laughs, the gasps, and those sudden realisations – it’s a joy to evoke such a response. What I love is how Bene is challenging what a female romantic lead looks like, and she’s really changing the canon. She can absolutely look like me and be messy, flawed, funny, and all the things.

Now, almost three weeks since Shifters debuted in the West End, how do you reflect on this journey? What about this story do you love most?
Our creative team is just the best in the biz. Lynette Linton, our director, is a bloody visionary, and I’ve wanted to work with her for a long time, so everything has just come into beautiful alignment. Our designer, Alex Barry; lighting designer, Neil Austin. I mean, everyone has just been so invested. Being involved with a true collaboration is the way I want to continue working.

Also, seeing Black women and femmes in the audience is the biggest blessing because the play is bigger than us. For me, it’s for them.

Would you say you approached your character any differently this time around? What about Des intrigued you most, and how do you feel most connected with her?
I think she’s a bit more grounded this time around, character-wise. The script was changing a bit at the Bush, so sometimes we were playing catch-up, but that’s just a credit to Bene’s brilliant writing. Now I really know her deeply, so there is a freedom in the performances that I am enjoying. I think what intrigued me most about Des is how quirky, funny, and intelligent she is. There aren’t always roles like this for Black women, so it feels like the start of more like this to come.

Shifters also marks your first time performing in the West End. How would you describe the feeling? Is it a lot of pressure, and what does this chapter mean for your artistic growth?
Yes, West End debut, baby! And on a show like this – what a blessing. No, I actually don’t feel pressure because I feel confident. It’s not about my performance; it’s about me being in service to the story. I focus on people feeling seen, held, and comforted. So as long as I remember the why, the pressure doesn’t really exist if my intentions are clear.

Have you ever experienced a complex love story like Des and Dre’s? How much of yourself do you let Des borrow to create such a personal and relatable storyline?
All my exes have been trash, so no, I can’t relate… haha. It’s definitely been a challenge to empathise with her situation.

I’d also love to hear about your experience working with Tosin Cole and with Benedict Lombe’s writing. Do you have any favourite memories from this time? How do you reflect on everything you’ve learned together as a team?
Everyone really cares about the work, so it’s been great to work on something where ego isn’t king. Bene is kind of a genius, so Tosin and I often find more layers in the writing even now. It’s lovely to find those little gems.

Moving forward, what excites you most about the future? Are there any other projects in the pipeline that you’d like to share with us?
I’m really looking forward to doing more TV and film. I have a project called Joy coming out later this year on Netflix about the development of IVF, written by Jack Thorne, which I’m chuffed about. I also won a solo exhibition next year at the New Art Exchange gallery in Nottingham, so I’m excited for that too. Hopefully, more meaningful projects will be coming my way soon.