A multi‑year celebration of Black British talent will span lectures, festivals, showcases and talent‑development initiatives.
Talawa Theatre Company has announced TALAWA 86:26, a wide‑ranging programme running from April 2026 to September 2027 to mark its 40th anniversary. The UK’s leading Black British theatre company will celebrate four decades of advocacy, talent development and storytelling with new partnerships, national touring work, and special anniversary events.
Launching the celebrations is the Mona Hammond Lecture Series, created in collaboration with RADA. The series will honour Talawa co‑founder Mona Hammond and will explore industry issues, representation and innovation. Its first public event takes place in September 2026, coinciding with the end of RADA’s 120th anniversary year.
Talawa will also tour Fragments of Us, created with FUBUNATION and Sonia Hughes. The outdoor movement and spoken‑word piece will appear at festivals including Norfolk & Norwich Festival, Brighton Festival, Stockton International Riverside Festival and Birmingham Weekender. The work offers audiences intimate and interactive reflections on Black experiences.
TALAWA 86:26 also includes the audio drama Omaan and the Sun Orb, written by Daniel Bailey. The two‑hander between a father and son uses imaginative storytelling to explore the emotional effect of climate change.
Talawa will revisit its roots with a staged reading of its 1986 debut, The Black Jacobins, presented in partnership with the University of Glasgow. The event, titled The Black Jacobins: Making Drama Out of History, will examine the ongoing relevance of C.L.R. James’s play about Haitian anti‑racist revolution.
Later in 2026, the company will host a 40th Anniversary Showcase in London, celebrating its legacy and the Black talent it has championed across four decades.
Executive Director Carolyn ML Forsyth comments, “We recognise that the world is in a challenging place right now, and we WILL continue our work with joy, hope, fortitude, and pragmatism. Yvonne, Carmen, Mona, and Inigo—our four founders—have gifted us an extraordinary legacy and a responsibility to pay it forward. This 40th anniversary year serves as a platform to celebrate their profound contribution to British and world theatre.”
Talawa’s established development programmes will continue as part of TALAWA 86:26. The Introductory Writers’ Group 2026, led by Michelle Matherson, will support new Black writers through workshops and dramaturgical guidance. Talawa Firsts returns for its 14th year with a new condensed format, presenting bold new work at Talawa’s Croydon headquarters across one week in July 2026.
The Young People’s Theatre Programme (TYPT) also returns, offering young creatives free industry‑level experience. Alumni include Michaela Coel, Nonso Anozie and Femi Oguns.
Artistic Director Michael Buffong comments, “Our artistic programme for 2026 is built upon four pillars: Advocacy, Community, Storytelling and Talent Development. We have the privilege of preserving well established programmes in TYPT and Talawa Firsts, bringing an exciting and successful outdoor show to brand new audiences across the country with Fragments of Us, and forging new creative partnerships through the Mona Hammond Lecture Series in collaboration with RADA. Along with a few surprises yet to be announced, this 40th anniversary year will be a celebration of everything that has made Talawa great over the past four decades.”
Listings and ticket information can be found here
