Talawa Firsts backs new plays by Femi Martin, Eno Mfon, and more
New stage productions by black British writers, including Femi Martin, Eno Mfon and Sylvia Arthur, will be showcased at the Talawa Firsts festival in London this month.
Talawa Firsts is an annual festival celebrating new writing and theatre work by the black British community.
Productions at this year’s festival include plays about leadership and Freedom of Movement in Europe, body image and self-loathing, and a character sorting out their “mess” of a life with the help of old friends.
Femi Martin, a writer and performer from London, will present one of the festival’s more sinister pieces, called I Am Not There, which the programme hints is about what it’s like to be murdered by someone you know and trust.
Along with plays, the festival also holds a number of workshops on writing, movement and arts funding.
Past participators to the festival, which is now in its 31st year, include: Theresa Ikoko, Natasha Marshall and Kalungi Ssebandeke, among others, who have gone onto pursue successful careers in film, fashion and other creative industries.
The creative output performed at the festival is the result of Talawa’s script reading service. The current submission window is open now till June 30, 2017, and first-time applicants are welcome. Playwrights can apply here.
Talawa Firsts takes place at Talawa’s studio, 53–55 East Road, near Old Street tube station, from June 14 to 30, 2017.
Visit the event website for more. Please note: tickets for some events are now sold out, but Talawa is operating a waiting list if tickets for sold-out events become available.
Click here for more theatre events listings.
Image: Heather Agyepong