Coming to The Bread & Roses Theatre this July, That Four Letter Word is a new collection of short plays exploring the complexities of love through a range of distinct voices and perspectives. Ahead of the show’s run from 14–18 July, we spoke to the Producer, Landé Belo about the inspiration behind the show, the collaborative process, and what audiences can expect from this thought-provoking production.
For those coming to this fresh, what is That Four Letter Word about?
That Four Letter Word is a collection of 3 distinct short plays that interrogate what we really mean when we talk about love. Inspired by bell hooks’s theory that “love is an action, never simply a feeling”, the pieces explore love as something lived: messy, demanding, joyful, and sometimes painful. Each story centres on Black women and asks what it really means to show up, to stay, to act and at what cost?
The show explores love in different forms through three short plays. What drew you
to structuring it this way?
I wanted to explore love in its many forms, but always through the lens of Black women. A multi‑play format allows for a richer tapestry of experiences and makes clear that Black womanhood is not monolithic. Each piece offers a different angle, a different rhythm, a different truth, together creating a fuller picture.
For those coming to this fresh, what is That Four Letter Word about?
That Four Letter Word is a collection of 3 distinct short plays that interrogate what we really mean when we talk about love. Inspired by bell hooks’s theory that “love is an action, never simply a feeling”, the pieces explore love as something lived: messy, demanding, joyful, and sometimes painful. Each story centres on Black women and asks what it really means to show up, to stay, to act and at what cost?
The show explores love in different forms through three short plays. What drew you
to structuring it this way?
I wanted to explore love in its many forms, but always through the lens of Black women. A multi‑play format allows for a richer tapestry of experiences and makes clear that Black womanhood is not monolithic. Each piece offers a different angle, a different rhythm, a different truth, together creating a fuller picture.
The work centres Black women’s experiences of love. Why was that important to you in creating this piece?
My mission is to amplify underrepresented voices in theatre, particularly Black women, whose stories are so often overlooked or filtered through someone else’s gaze. Winsome Pinnock describes theatre as a society’s “moral conscience,” an arena where we examine ourselves and if some voices are missing, she argues, theatre becomes “a subtle form of censorship”. That resonated deeply with me. I grew up loving theatre but rarely seeing myself reflected. I want Black women to be visible, audible and centred; because our lives and our stories matter.
Each story sits in a very different world, from personal memory to business to intimate relationships. What connects them all?
All 3 pieces explore the highs and lows of what it takes to love, but from a distinctly Black female perspective. They place Black women at the forefront, not as side characters or symbols, but as full human beings. While the settings differ, the emotional truth and the insistence on our visibility bind them together.
The title suggests something simple, but the show digs into complexity. What kinds of love are we seeing on stage?
The pieces explore a spectrum of love: self‑love, maternal love, platonic love, romantic love and the quieter, often unspoken forms that shape us. It’s a wide emotional landscape, because love rarely fits neatly into one category.
My mission is to amplify underrepresented voices in theatre, particularly Black women, whose stories are so often overlooked or filtered through someone else’s gaze. Winsome Pinnock describes theatre as a society’s “moral conscience,” an arena where we examine ourselves and if some voices are missing, she argues, theatre becomes “a subtle form of censorship”. That resonated deeply with me. I grew up loving theatre but rarely seeing myself reflected. I want Black women to be visible, audible and centred; because our lives and our stories matter.
Each story sits in a very different world, from personal memory to business to intimate relationships. What connects them all?
All 3 pieces explore the highs and lows of what it takes to love, but from a distinctly Black female perspective. They place Black women at the forefront, not as side characters or symbols, but as full human beings. While the settings differ, the emotional truth and the insistence on our visibility bind them together.
The title suggests something simple, but the show digs into complexity. What kinds of love are we seeing on stage?
The pieces explore a spectrum of love: self‑love, maternal love, platonic love, romantic love and the quieter, often unspoken forms that shape us. It’s a wide emotional landscape, because love rarely fits neatly into one category.
How did the idea for That Four Letter Word first come about?
It began with Ain’t I A Woman?, the question posed by Sojourner Truth and later echoed by bell hooks in her seminal work on the intersection of racism and sexism. Inspired by these women, I created a production of 5 short plays exploring what it means to be Black and female in contemporary Britain. That project led to the creation of the Ain’t I A
Woman? Initiative, a platform dedicated to championing Black women’s voices in theatre.
That Four Letter Word is our latest production. We chose love because it is universal, yet endlessly complex. In a world shaped by rapid technological change, geopolitical tension and social fragmentation, returning to the question of how we love (and what love looks like in practice) feels more urgent than ever.
What has the collaborative process been like between the writers, performers, and creative team?
It has been genuinely collaborative. Many of us wear multiple hats: our Assistant Directors also perform, one of the writers acts in her own piece and everyone contributes to the wider production elements. That shared investment has created a real sense of collective ownership and creative generosity.
Love is often idealised. How does this show challenge or complicate that idea?
We lean directly into the idea of love as action rather than sentiment. Love requires effort, honesty and sometimes discomfort. It’s something we must practise, refine, and recommit to. The plays resist the glossy, idealised version of love and instead explore its labour and its rewards.
It began with Ain’t I A Woman?, the question posed by Sojourner Truth and later echoed by bell hooks in her seminal work on the intersection of racism and sexism. Inspired by these women, I created a production of 5 short plays exploring what it means to be Black and female in contemporary Britain. That project led to the creation of the Ain’t I A
Woman? Initiative, a platform dedicated to championing Black women’s voices in theatre.
That Four Letter Word is our latest production. We chose love because it is universal, yet endlessly complex. In a world shaped by rapid technological change, geopolitical tension and social fragmentation, returning to the question of how we love (and what love looks like in practice) feels more urgent than ever.
What has the collaborative process been like between the writers, performers, and creative team?
It has been genuinely collaborative. Many of us wear multiple hats: our Assistant Directors also perform, one of the writers acts in her own piece and everyone contributes to the wider production elements. That shared investment has created a real sense of collective ownership and creative generosity.
Love is often idealised. How does this show challenge or complicate that idea?
We lean directly into the idea of love as action rather than sentiment. Love requires effort, honesty and sometimes discomfort. It’s something we must practise, refine, and recommit to. The plays resist the glossy, idealised version of love and instead explore its labour and its rewards.
Is there a moment or theme in the show that audiences tend to really connect with?
I believe audiences will find points of connection across all 3 plays. Each piece touches on universal emotions and dilemmas, even as they speak from a specific cultural and gendered perspective.
Why should audiences come and see That Four Letter Word this July at The Bread & Roses?
It’s an evening of affordable, thought‑provoking theatre that invites reflection long after the audience leaves the theatre. While the stories centre Black women, their themes are universal, reminding us that we share more hopes, fears and dreams than we often acknowledge.
That Four Letter Word by Nicole Acquah, Landé Belo, Sara Amanda, directed by Landé Belo
Runs 14th - 18th July 2026, find out more and book here
I believe audiences will find points of connection across all 3 plays. Each piece touches on universal emotions and dilemmas, even as they speak from a specific cultural and gendered perspective.
Why should audiences come and see That Four Letter Word this July at The Bread & Roses?
It’s an evening of affordable, thought‑provoking theatre that invites reflection long after the audience leaves the theatre. While the stories centre Black women, their themes are universal, reminding us that we share more hopes, fears and dreams than we often acknowledge.
That Four Letter Word by Nicole Acquah, Landé Belo, Sara Amanda, directed by Landé Belo
Runs 14th - 18th July 2026, find out more and book here
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