Talawa theatre: a boundless leap into mainstream British theatre 1985-1994

In this chapter, I examine the first decade of Talawa’s existence as a black-led British theatre company, since it was founded in 1985 by the quartet of Yvonne Brewster, Carmen Munroe, Mona Hammond, and Inigo Espejel. Talawa, which was founded as a black-led theatre company, in response to what was then perceived as the lack of representation and creative opportunities has since cemented its place in mainstream Britain theatre and prides itself as Britain’s primary black-led theatre company. This chapter utilises a range of sources, including material from the company archives held at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London to construct a narrative of its development from 1985 to 1994—a period of phenomenal rise for the company that contrasts sharply with a decline in the number of black and ethnic minorities (BAME) theatre companies in Britain.