In 1951, Henrietta Lacks walked into the coloured section of the John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, US, complaining of abdominal pain. A sample of her cell was taken without permission and used for conducting scientific studies. It led to discoveries that rocked the medical world but Lacks didn’t benefit in any way; she died in penury unable to afford medical care.

Scene from the solo act play

The story was depicted in the book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, and turned into a play in 2013, titled HeLa, directed by Graham Eatough . The one-woman act was performed by actor Adura Onashile and is significant for highlighting topics pertaining to genetic identity and ethical debates about human tissue research and ownership.
It is being brought to India by QTP in association with the British Council for a multi-city tour (Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru) to mark QTP’s anniversary.