MATILDA FEYISAYO IBINI
Playwright • Screenwriter
Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini is a multi-award-winning playwright, screenwriter and filmmaker of Nigerian heritage whose work explores the experiences of Black, disabled and Queer people. Their acclaimed play Sleepova blends humour and emotional depth to explore friendship, identity and growing up, reflecting Ibini’s distinctive approach to storytelling.
Sleepova earned Ibini the 2023 Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for Most Promising Playwright and the 2024 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre. In 2025, they were awarded the Windham-Campbell Prize for Drama.
Why Hackney Matters
“Hackney was one of the first places to influence my own storytelling; it has always felt like a place where stories are hiding in plain sight. New worlds tucked into familiar streets, unexpected encounters and colourful characters appearing around every corner. You only have to pay attention.”
“To see my name now quite literally embedded in that landscape is both deeply moving and a little surreal. I’m incredibly appreciative to the young people who selected my name and to everyone who created the Legacy Steps.”
Did You Know?
Before becoming a professional playwright, Matilda started writing Scooby-Doo fan fiction in primary school, which later developed into writing poetry at secondary school. Matilda has said that writing helped them “rediscover a lost voice” after experiencing bullying throughout education.