At first glance UMBILICAL might seem like another theatre production. But step closer and you will feel it, the heartbeat of a story that is bigger than any stage.
This is not fiction. It is rooted in the lived reality of Black families across Britain. Every year Black women in the UK are nearly five times more likely to die during childbirth than their white counterparts. Behind every statistic is a family, a partner holding a newborn, a father navigating grief and nappies, siblings left asking why.
The Spark Behind the Play
The seed for UMBILICAL was planted when Sharmone watched a storyline on Coronation Street about Black maternal health. A scene of Dee Dee Bailey’s traumatic birth experience struck a deep chord. Sharmone realised a crucial perspective was missing, the voices of Black fathers.
At the same time Lloyd was already advocating for change. Two years earlier at the African Caribbean Health Network Summit he visited the Five X More stand and shared his own story, his sister Melloney who died giving birth at just 19 years old. That pain and urgency became the foundation of this work.
Together Sharmone and Lloyd began shaping UMBILICAL: Born Black, Borne Silent. The play weaves real testimonies into bold performance exposing the health inequalities Black mothers face while also amplifying the men’s voices so often left in the shadows.
Inside the Rehearsal Room
Rehearsals for UMBILICAL are intense. This is not just about learning lines or blocking scenes. It is about unearthing the lived experience of Black fatherhood loss and resilience.
Actors lean into raw emotion, voices raised, bodies tense, silences heavy. Each rehearsal is both a performance and a testimony, an honest exploration of silence masculinity and survival.
This process is a collective act of healing. Every movement every word carries generations of stories. For the cast of the Black Men’s Consortium it is about transforming grief into action, silence into dialogue and pain into power.
Why You Should See UMBILICAL
UMBILICAL is not just a play you watch. It is an experience you feel. It is a mirror held up to society asking difficult questions
– Why are Black mothers still dying at such disproportionate rates
– How do fathers and families carry the aftermath
– What must change to make birth safe for every womanThe show invites audiences to sit with discomfort witness resilience and leave with a new urgency to act.
Join the Movement
We are not stopping at this stage. UMBILICAL is part of a bigger conversation. We are building a community that speaks up shows up and demands change.
Discuss the Performance
Join our newsletter for behind-the-scenes updates tickets, and real stories from the journey:
“
When silence is broken, healing begins. ~ Sharmone Preddie
Watching a TV storyline on Black maternal health, Sharmone saw the pain of Black women reflected — but not the fathers. He realised how often their grief and advocacy are silenced. That moment inspired
UMBILICAL: Born Black, Borne Silent and his words: “When silence is broken, healing begins.” The play gives voice to hidden stories, turning silence into visibility and pain into collective healing.