Olivier-nominated actress Josette Bushell-Mingo explored her personal relationship with Nina Simone’s music, Civil Rights activism, and unapologetic Blackness with the theatre production Nina – A Story About Me and Nina Simone, which toured internationally including a stint at London’s Young Vic. Bushell-Mingo’s journey writing, performing, and touring the show was captured by Swedish director Lamin Daniel Jadama in the documentary Call Nina, which recently had its London Premier at the Barbican’s Milton Court. The documentary, interspersed with  footage from the show, and, quite crucially, the reactions of her audiences, provides a fascinating insight into Bushell-Mingo’s creative process and the challenges faced by Black theatre creatives.

The showing was followed by a panel discussion – led by Dr. Javeria K Shah and including Bushell-Mingo, Jadama, Dr Lynette Goddard of Royal Holloway University, and the Barbican’s Head of Creative Collaboration & Learning Karena Johnson – building upon themes explored in the documentary pertaining to the representation of Black creatives and the dynamics of performing to predominantly white audiences. Bushell-Mingo closed the evening with several choice cuts from Simone’s catalogue, including the furious ‘Mississippi Goddam’ and chilling ‘Four Women’.