(I have not yet seen or heard the entire show yet, except the BBC news.
Even though I up-loud the courage of writer Banna Desta for writing a play about Queen Yodit, the Bette Israel / Falasha queen of Ethiopia, to the international audience thru the BBC; to some extent, I disagree on her depiction by focusing on the queen, ascunning and manipulating Abyssinian regal. It is likely she may have done so, for dramatic purposes, rather than as historical depiction
Queen Yodit should also be seen as a freedom fighter for the enslaved downtrodden, discriminated and the oppressed Bette Israel Abyssinians against their Royal oppressors in the Axumite kingdom. Like Moses against the oppressive Egyptian pharaohs.
This type of negative description of Queen Yodit is dominant in the Ethiopian Orthodox christian narration, most likely instigated by the anti semite/ anti Bette Israel sentiments in the successive Egyptian appointed Abuns, Archbishops, teachers, advisors and monastic Abbots in Ethiopia.
For some reason, the church teachings about Queen Yodit in the Eritrean part of the church seem to be moderate, the reason being the name Yodit is historically very popular and common among Eritrean Christians but is completely absent among Ethiopian Christians with the exception of the Bette Israel Falashas. In the same manner, the rebel church leaders of the Abune Austatious like of the Deqiqe Estifanos are still worshiped as brave heroes in Eritrea and north Tigray.
I wish this play was rewritten or depicted by the great poet and playwrights, such as Tsegaye G Medhin or Fikre Tolessa.)
Bringing a tyrannical Ethiopian queen and her twins to life
Jan 04, 2025, Penny Dale, BBC Journalist
Playwright Banna Desta has brought to life an often-overlooked ancient African civilisation in her latest work - a compelling audio drama about an increasingly tyrannical queen and her scheming twin sons.
"As well as wanting the audience to be entertained - because the play is good fun - I wanted to add another dimension to people's understanding of Africa," Desta tells the BBC.
"I wanted to write about a time when the continent wasn't afflicted by colonialism and there were thriving societies," she says.
The Abyssinians is set in the 5th Century in the Aksumite Empire, also known as the Kingdom of Aksum.
Aksum was a wealthy and influential monarchy that at its height spanned what is now northern Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, southern Saudi Arabia and western Yemen. It lasted almost 1,000 years, from approximately 100BC to AD960.
.... https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0lg6151p32o