They've survived blazing buildings, boardroom walk-outs and brutal cuts. But black theatre company Talawa are still celebrating
by Nosheen Iqbal
Ask Yvonne Brewster how much the theatre industry has changed in 60 years, and the founder of Britain's most high-profile black theatre company says: "Darling, when I started out, people would rub my skin to see if the colour came off." Rose Bruford, the influential drama tutor, told Brewster (her first black female student) that she should "never expect to work". She did, of course, and in 1972 put on a London production of CLR James's The Black Jacobins, a play about Haiti in the 18th century, only to find her sold-out venue burnt down. "The Jamaican government were funding this grand production that picked up terrific steam with audiences across London. After a few weeks, there were queues of people around the block in Cricklewood. The next night, the venue was mysteriously set on fire."...[continued]
