A decidedly Gen Z saga of finding oneself in the faces of family members, ancestors from a lost country and beautiful boys, Dummy in Diaspora is an absolute treat. Esho Rasho has an easy-going physicality as the present day, self-censoring narrator version of protagonist Essa. It’s wonderful to see how Essa’s insecurity sits on him at various ages: teenage Essa folds in on himself, whereas a college-aged counterpart monitors his surroundings vigilantly. Within the slang-filled script there are true gems of prose. Rasho isn’t afraid to tone-shift at a moment’s notice: he might battle some literalised demons, but the emotional gut punches of the piece are ushered in quietly to emphasise their realism. This is a fresh voice worth seeing.

ZOO Playground, until 25 Aug. 
tw rating 4/5 | [Louise Jones]