The Radical Nature of Black Joy in Theatre Tickets

About The Radical Nature of Black Joy in Theatre

When black artists are invited into traditionally white establishments, the stories which are told, more often than not, are those of oppression – narratives that tell of the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual violence experienced by black people past and present. But mostly past. You could call the genre 'Black Misery'. Theatres programme it, playwrights write it and actors relive it. But does this rob us of experiencing fuller narratives expressing the black experience in the UK on our stages today? What can theatres, artists and audiences do to ensure that more complex and broader themes are explored when finding expression for the black experience?