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

‘Afeni’ is an astounding new solo show about the Black Panther Afeni Shakur

By Joshua ChongSenior Arts Critic

Afeni – Toronto Star

Gripping yet never exploitative, sincere while also surprisingly humorous, Adam Bailey’s “Afeni” is one of the most compelling new solo plays to debut at the Fringe in recent years. Based on true events, it recounts the story of Afeni Shakur, the Black Panther revolutionary who was arrested on unfounded, politically motivated charges and proceeded to successfully defend herself in court. 

Bailey’s writing is gorgeously vivid, his characters completely rounded. He also possesses the rare ability to draw his audience into a specific moment with such vulnerable intimacy, stretching and compressing time in his hands. 

Onika Henry both narrates the proceedings and steps into all the various roles, including that of Afeni herself. Even if she occasionally struggled with some lines on opening night, Henry is a magnetic performer, making this a not-to-be-missed production this year.

★★★★★ – 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.