Tracey Scott Wilson's play 'The Story' is being performed at the National Theatre in London. The production, directed by Clint Dyer, is described as a fast-paced newsroom drama that delves into issues of race, truth, and the pursuit of headlines.
The play features Letitia Wright as Yvonne, an ambitious Black journalist. Her character is based on Janet Cooke, a journalist discredited for fabricating a Pulitzer prize-winning story in 1981. The narrative explores how both Yvonne and the press are depicted as compromising their integrity, with the media shown to be motivated by editorialising and reshaping facts.
Set in its original timeframe, the play does not include social media or the internet. Despite this, its themes of media spin, fake news, and racial politics are considered relevant today, particularly in relation to discussions around the representation of the Black community and Black female ambition.