Book Description

Published in association with the National Theatre, Black British Theatre Since 1960 offers an introduction to the work of many important, but lesser-known black UK-based playwrights as well as a thematic history of the development of Black British theatre. Structured thematically, and exploring subjects such as migrant communities; pan-African aspirations amongst African and African diasporic communities; black female playwriting; coming-of-age narratives; and the role of race in British institutions and sport, the book presents the reader with a variety of ways in which to engage with the development of black theatre in the UK and within the context of its wider history and cultural significance. Each chapter offers an overview of a particular theme, before offering an analysis of a selection of relevant plays. The inspiration of the book is the National Theatre's Black Plays Archive, an online collection of the first professional production of over 600 plays by black British, African and Caribbean playwrights whose work has been produced in Britain. It began in 2011 in response to the growing need for a cultural log of this information in the theatrical landscape. But while the history of playwriting in the UK by writers from the African diaspora is long and varied, the critical spaces in which to discuss the ideas and discourses with which they engage is only now developing. This book, published in conjunction with the National Theatre, distils the best and most relevant information from the Black Plays Archive into a book for students, practitioners and general readers, providing a resource for the many people interested in this increasingly recognised and vital area of theatre. Its intention is to raise awareness and encourage engagement with the contributions of black playwrights to Black theatre history in general.