Talawa Theatre Company

Talawa Theatre Company is a Black British theatre company founded in 1986.[1][2] The core of the company's work is championing reinterpretations of classic plays, developing new writing and directing talent and producing plays from and about the African diaspora.[2][3][4][5] The Company is a National Portfolio Organisation, supported by funding from Arts Council England in recognition of consistently high quality artistic work and audience development,[6] with an uplift in its grant for the period between 2018 - 2022.[7][8]

Since 2011 Talawa Theatre Company has been led by artistic director Michael Buffong, whose career spans theatre, TV and film.[9][10][11][12][12][13]

The name Talawa comes from Jamaican patois saying "me lickle but me talawa",[14] meaning "small but feisty".[4][15]

Mission

The company's mission is to provide opportunities for black directors, writers and actors, to use black culture to enrich British theatre, and to enlarge theatre audiences seeing black work.[1] Talawa's work embraces touring classic work on the mid-scale to regional theatres in the UK, literary and participation activities, finding and developing new writers and scripts, and developing theatre-makers and directors, alongside workshops for schools, colleges and corporate clients and presenting new work by emerging artists.[9][16]

History

Jamaican-born Yvonne Brewster, Mona Hammond, Carmen Munroe and Inigo Espejel founded the company in 1986.[1][17][18] Talawa's first production in 1986 was The Black Jacobins by C. L. R. James, a play that had not been performed in England for 50 years, and never before with an all-black cast.[2]

Talawa has produced and toured classic work by numerous playwrights and writers including Dennis Scott, Derek Walcott, Galt McDermot, Wole Soyinka, James Baldwin, Michael Abbensetts, Trevor Rhone, William Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, Tariq Ali and Arthur Miller and worked with a variety of directors and actors including Michaela Coel, Cathy Tyson, Dona Croll, Ray Shell, Norman Beaton, Horace Ove, Paulette Randall, Don Warrington, Fraser Ayres and David Harewood. [19][2][20]

Previous artistic directors have included Yvonne Brewster, Ben Thomas, Paulette Randall, Bonnie Greer and Patricia Cumper.

Today and Recent Productions

Talawa Theatre Company's artistic director is Michael Buffong.[21][22] Michael Buffong featured on Creative Review's '50 Creative Leaders' list in 2017,[23] having also featured in the Powerlist, celebrating Britain's most influential people of African or African Caribbean heritage.[24]

Talawa Theatre Company produces a major touring production annually.[13]

Moon On A Rainbow Shawl

The 2013/14 production was a revival of Moon on a Rainbow Shawl by Errol John, directed by Michael Buffong and which toured across the UK, in addition to playing at the Royal National Theatre.[25][26][27] Critics described the show as "an absolute must-see" [28] "a well-crafted slow burner"[29] and "treats the characters as real people rather than outrageous exotics ... Justice, you feel, has at last been done ..."[30]

All My Sons

Talawa Theatre Company toured a revival of Arthur Miller's All My Sons in Spring 2015.[31][32][32][33][34]

Critics described the production as "heart wrenching" [35] and "Talawa’s contribution to the Arthur Miller centenary ... is a worthwhile one" [36] which "ratchets up the tension" [37]

King Lear

In October 2015, Talawa announced a new production of William Shakespeare's King Lear starring Don Warrington in the title role.[22][38][39] King Lear was co-produced with the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester.

Reviews singled out the production as being "as close to definitive as can be",[40][41] "a significant production"[42] and "outstanding".[43] Don Warrington's performance as King Lear was described as "a heartbreaking tour de force".[44]

In late June 2016, Talawa Theatre Company announced the film of King Lear, in a collaboration with the Royal Exchange Theatre and funded by the digital commissioning body The Space, the film was available to view on-demand and free of charge on BBC iPlayer and the British Council's websites for three months in summer 2016, ahead of a cinema release in September and October 2016, and closed 2016 by being screened on BBC4 on Christmas Day.[45][46][47][48][49]

Girls

Also in 2016, Talawa also co-produced the award-winning play by Theresa Ikoko,[50] Girls, the story of three young women kidnapped by extremists.[50][51][52][53][54][55]

The Times referred to Girls as “Scorchingly intelligent and as powerful as a gut punch”[51] while Time Out called it " ... clever, audacious, entertaining and full of promise." [56][57]

Theresa Ikoko commented on her experience of working with Talawa to get the story produced, saying: "This isn’t the first play I’ve written, but it’s my first produced play. The first play I wrote, I didn’t really know it was a play, it was just for me. I would read it over the phone to my friend and when I’d finished he said I had to show it to someone. Talawa Theatre Company found me and [artistic director] Michael Buffong put that play in a Talawa Firsts show, and I got signed by my agent there ... Talawa completely took a chance on me. I had no training or experience or credentials, and there was no one to offer a reference. But Michael believed in me. It took me forever though, probably until the opening night of Girls at HighTide, for me to believe him."[58]

In 2017, Girls went on tour with a new cast, having first played at Edinburgh Festival where it was presented as part of the British Council Edinburgh Showcase.[59]

Half Breed

Described variously as a story about growing up mixed-race, and as a story about friendship, Half Breed was written by Natasha Marshall and first performed at Talawa Firsts 2016 before being developed further by both Talawa and Soho Theatre.[60] That same partnership presented Half Breed at Edinburgh in summer 2017.[61][62][63][64] At the time Marshall said "My whole lifeI’ve been holding my breath but when I perform Half-Breed I feel like I’m breathing. I want to bring something real and different to the Fringe. I want to create a conversation, I want to open people’s minds up.” [65]

Half Breed was nominated as a 'Best New Play' at the UK Theatre Awards.[66][60] Half Breed was also nominated for the 'Best New Play', 'Best Female Performance' and 'Most Promising New Playwright' awards in the Offies, an award presented by Off West End.[67]

Half Breed had a sell-out London run following its success at Edinburgh.[60][68] The co-production of Half Breed also toured India in autumn 2017, where it was well received by audiences and critics alike. [69][70][71][72][73]

Half Breed will also tour the UK in Spring 2018 as a co-production between Talawa Theatre Company and Soho Theatre.[74][75]

Guys and Dolls

Talawa announced their winter 2017 co-production with the Royal Exchange Theatre of the Damon Runyon inspired musical, Guys and Dolls, the first in the UK with an all-Black cast.[76][77][78][76][79][80] Among the cast announced for Guys and Dolls were Ray Fearon, Ashley Zhanghazha, Abiona Omonua, and Lucy Vandi.[81][82] Guys and Dolls played at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre in an extended run from December 2017 to February 2018.

Reviews had particular praise for the music, direction, relocation to Harlem and sense of spectacle: "the gamblers ... are a bunch of sharp-suited peacocks clad in rainbow hues." [83] ; "Whoever had the idea of moving this classic musical from one part of New York to another bit, just up the road, needs to be congratulated. This version of Frank Loesser’s musical, which swirls around the lives of the petty gangsters and their “dolls” who inhabit New York’s underbelly, moves the action to Harlem at its prewar height in 1939. It is a Talawa production with an all-black cast and it is terrific from the get-go." [84] ; "Relocated to Harlem, this fine new production of Frank Loesser’s classic musical retains a threat of violence under a cartoon-bright exterior". [85]

Awards

In autumn 2016, the Arts Council England announced that it had awarded £478,671 to a partnership between Talawa Theatre Company and Birmingham Repertory Theatre to boost the visibility and profile of established and emerging Black and Minority Ethnic talent with a three month West End Theatre season with a wrap around festival of new work.[86][87]

A further award of more than £400,000 was awarded to a consortium, of which Talawa Theatre Company is a part, to support the development of established and emerging BAME theatre makers and to increase their representation across the wider theatre sector.[87][88]

Artist Development

As well as touring major works across the UK, Talawa Theatre Company commissions new plays, develops artists and directors.

In January 2017 Talawa announced the creation of MAKE, a career development community of Black theatre artists.[89][90][91] Called MAKE, the new career development community creates 250 new opportunities for Black artists every year, across four areas, enabling artists to make connections and build the support they need to create new work.[89][90][91] A Talawa spokesperson commented that "Diversity projects tend to be just that – projects – and as a quick-fix approach, they are not building an infrastructure. What we need is sustained engagement that provides artists with a pathway into the industry, and the footholds to keep them there ...".[89]

As part of MAKE, Talawa also offers a script reading service and produces an annual season of play readings, Talawa Firsts, which showcases the best new black writing talent. The Company also supports and develops emerging theatre-makers[9] – performers, designers and technicians – through their flagship participation programmes TYPT, Studio Firsts and Talawa Firsts.[16][17][18][92]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Black & Asian Performance in Britain 1970 onwards - Talawa Theatre Company". V&A.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Records of Talawa Theatre Company, 1962-2007", Victoria and Albert Museum: Theatre Collections.
  3. ↑ Helen Kolawole, "Look who's taking the stage", The Guardian, 26 July 2003.
  4. 1 2 "New Black theatre companies", Moving Here – Migration histories.
  5. ↑ "Homepage".
  6. ↑ "Case Study - Talawa Theatre Company". The Audience Agency.
  7. ↑ "Museums, libraries, artforms and the National Portfolio | Arts Council England". Artscouncil.org.uk. 2017-07-03. Retrieved 2018-09-01.
  8. ↑ "The Editor's View: No alarms and no surprises in NPO funding - Opinion - The Stage". 27 June 2017.
  9. 1 2 3 "Michael Buffong: 'Putting black actors on stage is the easy bit' - Interviews - The Stage". 28 March 2016.
  10. ↑ Natalie Woolman, "Michael Buffong appointed Talawa artistic director", The Stage, 13 October 2011.
  11. ↑ Lyn Gardner, "Do we need diversity quotas for theatre?", The Guardian, 9 June 2015.
  12. 1 2 Georgia Snow, "Michael Buffong: ‘Use diversity quotas or nothing will change’", The Stage, 5 June 2015.
  13. 1 2 "Bringing Black into the Theatre Mainstream" (Michael Buffong profile), Arts Industry (AI), 16 December 2012.
  14. ↑ "Our Story", Talawa website.
  15. ↑ Nisha Obano, "Talawa Theatre Company". Encyclopedia of AfroEuropean Studies.
  16. 1 2 "Talawa's Mission", Talawa Theatre website.
  17. 1 2 Nick Curtis, "Michael Buffong: ‘I want to turn Talawa into the go-to company for black talent’", London Evening Standard, 15 August 2012.
  18. 1 2 Nosheen Iqbal, "Talawa theatre company: the fights of our lives", The Guardian, 29 May 2011.
  19. ↑ "30 years of achievement". Talawa. 2018-05-16. Retrieved 2018-09-01.
  20. ↑ Tony Howard, "We need more racial diversity on the stage both sides of the pond", New Statesman, 25 March 2014.
  21. ↑ Matthew Hemley, "National Theatre and RSC should 'lead by example' by appointing more BAME associates, says Verma", The Stage, 22 April 2015.
  22. 1 2 Vanessa Thorpe, "After a century of black British theatre, actors still struggle to take centre stage" (on Lenny Henry's BBC Radio 4 series), The Observer, 25 October 2015.
  23. ↑ "Creative Leaders 50 - People driving change in the creative industries". www.creativereview.co.uk.
  24. ↑ "Powerlist". www.powerlist.co.uk.
  25. ↑ "Talawa's Michael Buffong to revive Moon on a Rainbow Shawl - News - The Stage". 8 May 2013.
  26. ↑ "Moon on a Rainbow Shawl by Errol John", National Theatre.
  27. ↑ Kate Kellaway, "Moon on a Rainbow Shawl; Can We Talk about This?; Shivered – review", The Observer, 18 March 2012.
  28. ↑ "Moon on a Rainbow Shawl - Exeunt Magazine". exeuntmagazine.com.
  29. ↑ "Moon on a Rainbow Shawl, National, SE1 - review".
  30. ↑ Billington, Michael (15 March 2012). "Moon on a Rainbow Shawl – review". the Guardian.
  31. ↑ "All My Sons tour marks Arthur Miller centenary", BBC News, 13 February 2015.
  32. 1 2 Andrew Clarke, "All My Sons review", The Stage, 18 February 2015.
  33. ↑ Glen Pearce, "All My Sons – New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich", The Public Reviews, 17 February 2015.
  34. ↑ Anne Morley-Priestman, "All My Sons (Tour) - 'Michael Buffong ratchets up the tension'", What's On Stage, 18 February 2015.
  35. ↑ "All My Sons – Richmond Theatre, London". 1 April 2015.
  36. ↑ "Review: All My Sons". 19 March 2015.
  37. ↑ "All My Sons (Tour) - 'Michael Buffong ratchets up the tension'".
  38. ↑ "Don Warrington to play King Lear", Talawa.
  39. ↑ David Hutchinson, "Don Warrington cast as King Lear at the Royal Exchange", The Stage, 12 October 2015.
  40. ↑ Hickling, Alfred (7 April 2016). "King Lear review – as close to definitive as can be". the Guardian.
  41. ↑ "King Lear Reviewed".
  42. ↑ Bassett, Kate (8 April 2016). "Theatre: King Lear at the Royal Exchange, Manchester" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  43. ↑ "King Lear review at Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester".
  44. ↑ Allfree, Claire (18 May 2016). "Don Warrington's King Lear is a heartbreaking tour de force" – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  45. ↑ "Get closer to King Lear". 12 April 2016.
  46. ↑ Higgins, Eleanor. "King Lear: The Film - News - Royal Exchange Theatre". www.royalexchange.co.uk.
  47. ↑ "King Lear: The Film".
  48. ↑ "King Lear - BBC Four". BBC.
  49. ↑ "BBC Four - Schedules, Sunday 25 December 2016". BBC.
  50. 1 2 "Reviews for Girls". Talawa.com. 2018-05-16. Retrieved 2018-09-01.
  51. 1 2 Marlowe, Sam (13 September 2016). "Theatre: HighTide Festival at Aldeburgh, Suffolk" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  52. ↑ "How to Talk About Terrorism On Stage". 5 October 2016.
  53. ↑ ""I'm so bloody glad I get to call myself a woman" - The F-Word". www.thefword.org.uk.
  54. ↑ Al-Hassan, Aliya. "BWW Review: GIRLS, Soho Theatre, 1 October 2016".
  55. ↑ "GIRLS Hightide Festival, Aldeburgh". 18 September 2016.
  56. ↑ "Girls".
  57. ↑ "Reviews for Girls".
  58. ↑ "Theresa Ikoko: 'Putting your work out there is like sending your child to school naked' - Interviews - The Stage". 25 October 2016.
  59. ↑ "Girls on tour".
  60. 1 2 3 "Half Breed at Soho Theatre".
  61. ↑ "Subscribe to read". Financial Times.
  62. ↑ Brennan, Clare (13 August 2017). "Edinburgh theatre review – a world without borders, almost". the Guardian.
  63. ↑ Treneman, Ann (17 August 2017). "Edinburgh theatre review: Half Breed at The Box, Assembly George Square" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  64. ↑ "Half Breed, theatre review: Funny, gripping show packs a punch".
  65. ↑ "Half Breed at Edinburgh".
  66. ↑ "Women dominate best new play category at UK Theatre Awards". 14 September 2017.
  67. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-07-15. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  68. ↑ Brinkhurst-Cuff, Charlie (8 October 2017). "Why we all need a bolshie friend - Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff". the Guardian.
  69. ↑ Datta, Sravasti (3 October 2017). "How dark are those racist jokes" – via www.thehindu.com.
  70. ↑ "Half Breed speaks about racism with a touch of humour - Times of India".
  71. ↑ "Half Breed - British Council". uk-india.britishcouncil.in.
  72. ↑ "Creators of a poignant play tell us how racism still lingers". 26 October 2017.
  73. ↑ Phukan, Vikram (31 October 2017). "'All of us have been victims and perpetrators'" – via www.thehindu.com.
  74. ↑ "Half Breed UK Tour 2018".
  75. ↑ "Half Breed UK Tour 2018 - Soho Theatre".
  76. 1 2 "Cast announced for UK's first all-black Guys and Dolls". 18 October 2017.
  77. ↑ Desk, BWW News. "Casting Revealed For UK's First All-Black GUYS AND DOLLS".
  78. ↑ Wiegand, Chris (7 June 2017). "Derek Jarman's punk classic Jubilee to be reignited on stage". the Guardian.
  79. ↑ "Cast Announced for U.K.'s First All-Black Production of Guys and Dolls - Playbill". Playbill.
  80. ↑ "Potter star joins first all-black Guys and Dolls cast". 19 October 2017.
  81. ↑ "Guys and Dolls musical announces UK's first ever all-black cast". 18 October 2017.
  82. ↑ "Guys and Dolls".
  83. ↑ Gardner, Lyn (7 December 2017). "Guys and Dolls review – swaggering Harlem grit rocks the Broadway boat". the Guardian.
  84. ↑ Treneman, Ann (8 December 2017). "Theatre review: Guys and Dolls at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  85. ↑ Brennan, Clare (10 December 2017). "Guys and Dolls review – larger than life, but with a core of grit". the Guardian.
  86. ↑ "£4.6 million to help diversity flourish - Arts Council England". www.artscouncil.org.uk.
  87. 1 2 "Talawa Sustained".
  88. ↑ "Consortium led by tiata fahodzi wins ACE Sustained Theatre Fund". tiata fahodzi. 2016-10-13. Retrieved 2018-09-01.
  89. 1 2 3 "Talawa launches Make scheme to support black artists in theatre - News - The Stage". 1 February 2017.
  90. 1 2 Desk, BWW News. "Talawa Theatre Creates New Industry Pathway For Black Artists".
  91. 1 2 "MAKE: a brand new community of Black artists".
  92. ↑ John Nassouri, "Islington people: BBC director takes reins at Black-led theatre company", Islington Gazette, 24 June 2012.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.