The historic 1965 debate between James Baldwin and William F. Buckley Jr. returns to the London stage in Debate: Baldwin Vs Buckley at Wilton’s Music Hall from 3 – 7 February.
Broadcast live on the BBC from The Cambridge Union Society, the original debate became one of the most influential conversations on race relations in America. Baldwin, an African American writer and activist, faced Buckley, America’s leading conservative intellectual, in a clash of ideas that remains startlingly relevant today.
Presented by Brooklyn-based arts organisation the american vicarious, this verbatim staging follows acclaimed UK and US tours and a London premiere at Stone Nest in 2023. The production is written and directed by Christopher McElroen.
McElroen said:
“We started work on Debate: Baldwin vs. Buckley in 2020, in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, and we’ve toured it continuously ever since — the questions it raises refuse to age, even now, sixty years on. Returning to London, following its premiere here in 2023, we’re reminded that the dynamics Baldwin confronted — the politics of othering and the struggle over who is fully recognized in a society — remain as relevant in the UK as they are in the US. That is why the debate remains timely. And why, sadly, it remains necessary.”
The original debate took place during Baldwin’s UK visit to promote his third novel. He agreed to address the Cambridge Union chamber, where Buckley was invited from his European holiday. Baldwin won the vote by a landslide, 544 to 164, just three days before the assassination of Malcolm X.
Running time is 60 minutes, suitable for ages 12+. Cast includes Eric T. Miller as William F. Buckley Jr., with James Baldwin to be announced.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
