Josephine and I

Cush Jumbo was nominated for an Olivier award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her role in the all-female Julius Caesar at the Donmar Warehouse, London. She co-wrote the musical Rebels and Retail, a shortlisted entrant in the Perfect Pitch West End Showcase 2008. Cush Jumbo is the co-author of 101 Dance Ideas for 5-11 Year Olds (A&C Black, 2010).

An exhilarating whizz through the star's life ... From the ingenious trickery of its opening scene ... to its half-triumphant, half-elegiac ending, Cush Jumbo's solo show, based on the life of Josephine Baker, effervesces with energy and charm ... by turns funny, touching and thought-provoking. -- Jane Shilling Telegraph 20130718 Ingenious ... this multi-layered structure of Jumbo playing a character who plays a character - becomes revealing ... a sparkling show with a light touch and a big reach. -- Sarah Hemming Financial Times 20130718 Tour de force is a fancy phrase that shouldn't be used lightly. Sometimes, though, you just have to go nuclear with your nouns - such as when describing this triumphant one-woman show, written and performed by Cush Jumbo. -- Dominic Maxwell The Times 20130719 An exploration of the difference a black woman can make - now as well as then - and, incidentally, a celebration of the power of theatre to tell the human story ... sensational ... Shocks, surprises and political points are deftly popped in among the laughter and the glitz. -- Heather Neill Stage 20130718 A dazzling tour de force by this truly brilliant performer ... Separately, the two strands reflect the lives of two particular individuals; intertwined, they achieve a universal resonance ... Entertaining, poetic, political, this is a tremendous production. -- Clare Brennan Observer 20130728 A short show that, in the best possible sense, leaves you longing for more: more knowledge of its fascinating muse, Josephine Baker; more great parts for its jaw-droppingly talented author and star, Cush Jumbo. but also more time to discuss afterwards the serious points it raises about race and gender, today and in Baker's lifetime ... a brave, exhilarating 100 minutes that redefine Josephine as less flapper, more rights-fighter, and pose important questions about her legacy. -- Patricia Nichol The Sunday Times 20130728 Sympathy, charm and panache ... Josephine and I grows increasingly