Sound of the Beast

by Donna-Michelle St Bernard

Through spoken word, storytelling and hip hop, acclaimed wordsmith Donna-Michelle St. Bernard challenges racial discrimination, the suppression of expression, and the trials of activism. By weaving her personal experiences in Canada around a reflection on the Tunisian emcee Weld El 15’s unjust imprisonment for insulting cops and a politician in a song, she creates a space to reflect on how we are part of the systems that oppress us, and on how to be a part of a solution.

Genres: Plays

160 pages, Paperback

Published September 22, 2020

Reviews

[Sarah Pitman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Song and story, all coming together in a beautiful personal narrative and the story of Tunisian rapper Weld El 15's incarceration and activism. Reading this is definitely a different experience than seeing it performed, and I missed the cadence and heart that I'm sure the performer herself would bring. But, there were many footnotes included in the text which really enriched my understanding and brought context to what I read, so I'd say it's still very worth seeing on the page.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

a powerful piece about racism and systemic/police violence. I would be so curious to see what the performance would add that the print version could not convey. I enjoyed the footnotes in this format.