Arabic version: جاد فرانكس تستكشف الطبقية من خلال مسرحية سيرة ذاتية جديدة
Jade Franks, a recent graduate of the University of Cambridge, has turned her challenging experiences with classism into a powerful one-woman play. According to BBC News, Franks faced significant obstacles while studying at the prestigious institution, where her working-class background set her apart from her peers.
Franks, who was working in a call center when she was accepted to Cambridge, found herself at the university after receiving support from an outreach worker. Despite her academic ambitions, she struggled with feelings of isolation due to her background. She recalls moments of mockery from classmates and experiences that highlighted the class divide, such as when a professor reprimanded her sister for her attire during a formal dinner.
While her peers focused on social events and exams, Franks was concerned about her financial situation, often working part-time jobs to make ends meet. She took on cleaning jobs at the university, despite the university rule that students should not work so that they could focus on their studies. This experience fueled her determination to succeed in the arts, leading her to pursue acting despite facing repeated rejections from university drama groups.
After graduating in 2021, Franks faced further challenges, including redundancy and mental health struggles. Nevertheless, she persevered, eventually debuting her autobiographical play, titled “Eat The Rich (but maybe not me mates x),” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The play received acclaim for its unique perspective on class issues, a narrative often overlooked in the arts.
Franks is now working on a television adaptation of her play for Netflix and continues to advocate for greater representation of working-class voices in the arts. She emphasizes the need for more conversations about class, aiming to create inclusive spaces in theater for diverse audiences. Her journey reflects a commitment to telling stories that resonate with ordinary people from all backgrounds.
