This course provides an overview of the Black British theatre by tracing the social, cultural, intellectual, and political developments that have come to define the theory, practice, and aesthetics of its practitioners. It interrogates how Black people have been represented on stage by White writers before plays by Black theater practitioners began to gain greater visibility on the British stage. Early work by C.L.R. James' "The Black Jacobin" introduces the student to the anti-colonial aspect of Black British writing. The course then traces the concerns of early Black writers of the '70s, like Mustapha Matura and Michael Abbensetts, up to the writers of the present day.

We'll analyze key texts that exemplify representations of the Black British experience against notions of Britishness. We'll draw out the confluence of influences from Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States and immigration trends to illustrate the diasporic, hybrid nature of British theater and how these influences shape identity and representation through the lens of multiculturalism.

Key professionals shed light on their practice and offer insights into the practicalities of working in British theater.

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