Tatenda Shamiso’s 24th birthday weekend ended emotionally on Sunday as the actor took home the award for Emerging Talent at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards for his play, No ID, at the Royal Court.
The accolade is not only an achievement for him personally but for what it represents. ‘Not just from the perspective of a trans person, as a person of colour, as a person who is new to this country, everything that I am, is not something that is necessarily anticipated in this industry,’ he told me, prior to finding out he’d won. ‘To have been nominated is already the biggest blessing, to win would be proof that my voice, and voices like mine, are worth hearing. It would be a wonderful opportunity for me to prove to my community that our voices are valued. And for this industry to prove that our voices are valued.’
