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 in 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, the author 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. Title Page Copyright Page Contents Preface Acknowledgements Chapter 1: Voicing an identity Why Brewster and Talawa? Defining black in Britain Defining voice The sociology of language Language style as audience design and related theories The burden of representation Chapter 2: Post-traumatic slavery disorder Ritual: A survival technique Storytelling Jamaican theatre 1700s–1980s Louise Bennett’s lineage and legacy Lest we forget: Black British theatre and the post-war pioneers By happenstance: Earl Cameron, 1917–2020 A black trap: Cy Grant, 1919–2010 Bottom of the pile: Barry Reckord, 1926–2011 Unequal opportunities: Pearl Connor, 1924–2005 Chapter 3: A stranger in non-paradise Brewster’s beginnings The Barn The making of contemporary black British theatre: Brewster’s role Dark and Light Theatre of Black Women Carib Theatre Black Theatre Cooperative Black Theatre Forum Talawa When the time is right: Talawa’s residency at the Cochrane Chapter 4: The island plays The Black Jacobins The motivation to revolt Oral language of performance: We speak black Non-spoken performance vocabulary: Colonialism and Voodoo The Dragon Can’t Dance A chosen ethnicity Oral language of performance: It ain’t reach yet Non-spoken performance vocabulary: ‘All A We Is One’ – music, calypso and Carnival The Lion Oral language of performance: Speaky spokey Beef, No Chicken Chapter 5: The black south The Love Space Demands Piecing it together: The structure of the work Oral language of performance: Speaking from her heart Non-spoken performance vocabulary:The psyche and dancing the dialogue From the Mississippi Delta Oral language of performance: Delta voices A cappella actresses: The performances Pauline Black Critical reception Flyin’ West We need heritage facts: Research package and the company’s response to it Critical reception My eyewitness account Chapter 6: Stay in your box The British classical genre: No voice for blacks Antony and Cleopatra King Lear Tis Pity She’s a Whore The Importance of Being Earnest A critical reception Contemporary black Victorians White words black mouths O to hell go Othello Audience response Production reviews The language of the text versus the colour of the performers: Even Cassio is black Playing Othello: The actors’ perspective Chapter 7: Don’t tell massa The contribution to black British theatre and identity The end Images Bibliography Index "This book discusses the theatrical history of Talawa, the work of Dr Yvonne Brewster OBE, her contribution to the genre of contemporary black British theatre generally, and her founding and subsequent directing of Talawa from 1986 to 2001. The analysis details how Brewster's theatre helped forge a black British identity in Britain, both on and off the British stage, through its strategic presentation of black language and culture in performance. Following explanations of definitions and sociolinguistic methodology in Chapter One: Voicing an Identity, Talawa's theatrical roots are shown in Chapter Two: Post Traumatic Slavery Disorder, to have begun in Africa, developed in Jamaica and further progressed by British Caribbean post war artists in Britain. In Chapter Three: A Stanger in Non-Paradise, Brewster's early life, her significant contribution to contemporary black British theatre, her founding of Talawa and the company's three year residency in the West End are discussed. Talawa's work is then explored by genre as follows; Chapter Four: The Island Plays highlights Talawa's Caribbean productions. These are; An Echo In The Bone, Maskarade, The Black Jacobins, The Dragon Can't Dance, The Lion and Beef No Chicken. In Chapter Five: The Black South, Talawa's American productions; The Love Space Demands, From The Mississippi Delta and Flyin' West point to the relevance of African American work to Talawa's audience. Chapter Six: Stay in Your Box illustrates Brewster's ground breaking work in the British classical genre. The productions discussed are; Anthony and Cleopatra, King Lear, Tis Pity She's a Whore, The Importance of Being Earnest and Othello. The book ends with Chapter Seven: Don't Tell Massa. Brewster and her work at Talawa are summed up, followed by an insight into her final attempt to secure a permanent home for black theatre in Britain"-- Provided by publisher