Unknown Rivers (NHB Modern Plays)

By Chinonyerem Odimba

Since her ordeal five years ago, nineteen-year-old Nene rarely leaves home. Secure within her mum's embrace, Nene now keeps the outside world securely on the other side of her bedroom window.

But weekly visits from her best friend Lea start to fill the void and on one unexpected day, when she is finally beyond the walls of her sanctuary with her vibrant, funny, and spirited girlfriends, a long-forgotten spark is powerfully reignited in Nene, one which will change her direction forever…

Chinonyerem Odimba's poignant and life-affirming play Unknown Rivers is a testament to the extraordinary powers of female friendship.

Unknown Rivers was premiered at Hampstead Theatre in October 2019.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Release date: Nov 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9781788502788

Chinonyerem Odimba

Chinonyerem Odimba is a playwright and screenwriter. Her plays include: Black Love (Paines Plough, 2021); Unknown Rivers (Hampstead Theatre, 2019); Princess and the Hustler (Eclipse Theatre Company, Bristol Old Vic and Hull Truck Theatre co-production, 2019); Amongst the Reeds (Clean Break, Edinburgh Fringe and Yard Theatre, London, 2016); A Blues for Nia (Eclipse Theatre/BBC); His name is Ishmael (Bristol Old Vic, 2013); The Birdwoman of Lewisham (Arcola, 2015) and Joanne (Clean Break, Soho Theatre, 2015). She is a winner of the Channel 4 Playwrights' Scheme 2016 (formerly the Pearson Playwrights' Scheme). Her screenplay Scotch Bonnet was filmed by the BBC for The Break, a series of short films.

Reviews for Unknown Rivers (NHB Modern Plays)

[Panas Panas · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Refreshing telling of intergenerational trauma. Also loved the Nigerian folktale..