Eleven-year-old wins a part in A Memory, a Monologue, a Rant and a Prayer

A girl from Harlesden who cares for her severely disabled father has overcome the odds to star in a major West End production.

Sharnae Wilson, 11, of Wrottesley Road, went head-to-head against a number of stage school actresses to win the part in A Memory, a Monologue, a Rant and a Prayer by Eve Ensler, who is also the author of The Vagina Monologues.

Sharnae, who attends charity drama group Kids Company, took to the stage at the Lyric, in Shaftesbury Avenue, alongside an all-star cast which included Rosario Dawson, Trudie Styler, Meera Syal OBE, singer Neneh Cherry and Richard Strange.

But growing up hasn’t been easy for Sharnae, who has two siblings Stefan, 15, and Shenice, 19.

Her mother has sadly died and her father was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder, Guillian-Barre Syndrome, four years ago.

Bed-bound Mr Wilson, a former postman who worked for Royal Mail for 19 years, cannot walk and is paralysed from the neck down.

Lizzy Mckinney, 28, from Kids Company, said: “Given that Sharnae has had very little theatrical experience, her performance really stood out.

“Everyone at Kids Company is really excited for Sharnae and who knows, this could be the start of something really big for her.”

Kids Company is an organisation committed to providing inclusive, child-focused holistic support services to vulnerable children and young people in London.

It was founded in 1996 by Camila Batmanghelidjh and the organisation provides practical, emotional, and educational support to over 17,000 vulnerable children across the capital.

Drama, music, painting, fashion, creative writing and dance are used to help young people to explore their feelings in a safe environment.

For more information on the group visit http://www.kidsco.org.uk/