Talawa Theatre Company: A Theatrical History and the Brewster Era

This study - the first of its kind - examines the history, performance work and achievements of Talawa theatre company under the tenure of its co-founder and artistic director from 1986 until 2003, Yvonne Brewster. The notion of achievement is understood within the contemporary British theatrical context, highlighting the originality of Talawa's work and, by extension, the company's commitment to its mission statement. The book is divided into two parts - the first covering the founding of Talawa in 1986 up to 2001, and the second covering the company under its new artistic director, taking us to the present day. Within these two parts, the book provides a historical context for Talawa's performance work, presenting a chronology of the company's performance roots that are shown to begin in Africa, develop in Jamaica and end in the UK. It examines Talawa's history between 1986 and 2001, including a discussion of definitions of black British theatre, Talawa's mission statement the company's residency in the West End. In the subsequent sections, Johnson moves on to draw out aspects of Talawa's performance work thematically, focusing on their Caribbean, American and English plays. Finally, he highlights Talawa's history, artistic accomplishments, impact and legacy, with a view to where the company might go in the future.

• | Author: David Vivian Johnson
• | Publisher: Methuen Drama
• | Publication Date: January 14, 2021
• | Number of Pages: 272 pages
• | Language: English
• | Binding: Hardcover
• | ISBN-10: 1350107972
• | ISBN-13: 9781350107977