Theatre Peckham, South London’s flagship cultural venue and pioneering learning theatre announces its 4th edition of Young, Gifted & Black, established by CEO/Artistic Director Suzann McLean in 2019, this annual season of work unapologetically celebrates people from the African diaspora through a variety of artforms.
Curated by Associate Director Phillippe Cato. This year 10 events across five weeks explore themes including identity, friendship, loss, self-discovery and Black Womanhood.
The line-up includes theatre focusing on new writing with seven bold plays each taking up residence on the main stage for three nights. Spoken word, dance, comedy and music performances also feature as well as a series of inspirational in-conversation evenings with some very special guest stars to be announced.
Young, Gifted & Black also welcomes back two artists whose work received wide acclaim at the inaugural Peckham Fringe in April this year. Tatenda Shamiso’s fringe sell-out No ID about a transgender migrant returns and India Wilson, whose fringe showcase was You Can’t Understand, offers up a fresh comedy drama Innocent Means Not Guilty. Tatenda Naomi Matsvai’s Dark Matter, was a work-in-progress in 2021 and returns to stage with this Afrofuturistic play exploring spirituality.
Highlights from the line-up include two dramas by playwright, director, performer and all round polymath Tatenda Shamiso. His sold out solo show No ID, a highlight of Peckham Fringe, returns for a three night run on the main stage. It’s a tender auto-biographical play about a black transgender migrant arriving in the UK while Housewarming, its sequel, incorporates a cast of five characters and is staged as a more physical form of theatre following Shamiso’s deeper exploration of self.
Nouveau Riche Associate Artist Edi De Melo’s Mulatto Boy is a funny, bold, spoken word inspired one man odyssey which questions what it is to be Black and British. Staged in the round, audiences will be up close to the action in this multi-rolling performance rooted in West African theatrical practices and Angolan music and traditions.
Ellipsis is a brave new solo show written by Tambo Silavwe and delves into the seldom explored and sensitive subject of child loss of Black women. It’s vulnerable, heart-warming and truthful and takes audiences on a journey reflecting the joys and lows of maternity. Tapping into the powerful emotions of strength and resilience, the show takes place during Baby Loss Awareness Week and it is hoped that the play will not only raise greater awareness for the issue but also provide a safe space for conversation and healing to take place post-show.
Theatre Peckham also plays host to two events which showcase experimental performance across the artforms. Underground Barz, a hyper local scratch night collective present Our Love. Our Life. Our Family and invite 10 artists across three nights to respond to a theme and share ideas in a safe and intimate space in the round while Culture Drip offers emerging Gen Z creatives stepping outside the mainstream, from comics to musicians and spoken word artists, a stage for one night, encouraging them to follow their passions and hone their skills in front of a live audience.
Friendships and nuanced perspectives take centre stage in both Innocent Means Not Guilty and One Way Out. The former, a comedy drama written by India Wilson has been written through the lens of a law student and interrogates Black female friendships studying in higher education and what that means while the latter is a touching and inspiring story of identity, brotherhood and belonging. This powerful drama is written and directed by Montel Douglas and returns after its successful scratch performance in 2021.
In The Key Of Love rounds off Young, Gifted & Black with a stunning visual performance across two nights by artist and singer Kaia Laurielle. This conceptual show pushes the boundaries of storytelling through music combining multi-disciplinary artforms such as au-dio, visual and live performance with R&B and Soul inspired songs and themes about home, belonging, displacement and self-love. Peppered in between these five weeks will be a se-ries of inspiring In-conversations and a Solo Concert with very special artists and friends of Theatre Peckham.
Associate Director and YG&B curator Phillippe Cato comments: “This year’s season is about championing and supporting artists in the presentation of new work, expanding upon existing work, and developing their creative practice. My hope is that audi-ences and the industry engage with the experiences that these artists share in each of their shows, on both a personal and wider societal level. The talent is here, and we’re doing the work that needs to be done – now it’s time for them to be given further recognition, amplifi-cation and celebration.”
Artistic Director Suzann McLean adds: “Our Young, Gifted & Black season is now a perennial favourite, firmly embedded in our programme showcasing the ‘voices’ of countless young Black artists across multiple artforms. It provides a valuable, accessible platform, a safe space to respond, reinvent, experiment and feel empowered. As we head into our fifth sea-son, I hope audiences who see this year’s curated events will feel truly uplifted and inspired by the dynamism of these young artists”
Theatre Peckham Patron Dr Paulette Randall MBE says: “Theatre Peckham’s Young, Gifted & Black season is such an important part of the theatrical calendar. I encourage audiences to attend and support the phenomenal work from these young artists.”
Theatre Peckham is an award-winning cultural venue for artistic excellence and social change founded in 1986. Through the power of theatre, they illuminate young voices, provide skills and opportunities, and platform excellent creatives by programming and producing shows focusing on young people and under-represented voices.
