The Role of Storytelling in Debbie Tucker Green's Random

Abstract

Storytelling is a theatrical method employed by playwrights to delve into the profound aspects of a character's psyche. It allows characters to directly communicate with the audience serving multiple functions within the play. Moreover, this task can be executed by a protagonist or multiple characters, and occasionally even by actors who are not directly engaged in the play's action. Playwrights have employed this form in different periods throughout the history of drama. Debbie Tucker Green, A Black British playwright, employs the technique of storytelling in her play random to engage the audience in responding to street violence in London. The present paper aims to focus on this play, particularly on the act of storytelling, as the researcher observes that existing studies often discuss Tucker Green's plays solely within the context of her identity as a Black writer addressing issues within Black communities, neglecting to explore her unique stylistic approach. So, this study aims to fill in this gap. Tucker Green , unlike other Black playwrights, portrays traumatic experiences of loss and violence through her distinctive style of writing. By utilizing storytelling, she effectively depicts the feelings and thoughts of her characters, thus raising awareness among the audience about the vulnerability of Black citizens.