Afeni Premiered at The Edmonton Fringe in 2025 and now will tour to the Toronto and Winnipeg Fringe in 2026, returning to Edmonton in August. Website will update as tickets become available

★★★★★ – AYTC (Kylie Flanders)

More Than Her Son

What an incredibly important, significant, and powerful story to tell. Afeni, written by Adam Bailey, is an incredible single-person retelling of Afeni Shakur’s early life and trial as a Black Panther, performed by Onika Henry. Of course, she is Tupac Shakur’s, however her significance as an activist and freedom fighter extends far beyond her son’s own life. Using a simplistic set of a single black chair, the weight and impact Afeni’s life and struggles had on the progression of social justice is left to breathe and way upon the audience, making it (in my eyes) the perfect set. The simplicity of the entire show provides the same effect, utilizing a single actress in a perfect, efficient manner, never bloating or watering down the events of Shakur’s life. Empowerment and action is at the core of Bailey’s script, calling everyone to arms against the oppression we face and the injustices being committed every single day. Of the shows at Fringe, I imagine this is one of the more serious, and heavy productions, so if that is what you seek, I would highly recommend Afeni.