The festival is now in its 11th year, Talawa Firsts returns to Croydon’s Fairfield Halls from the 3rd to the 14th July.
Running over two weeks and created by Talawa Theatre Company, the Talawa Firsts 2023 is a festival of innovative writing, poetry, live music, cabaret, wellbeing workshops, networking and a club night.
The Talawa Theatre Company which has shone a spotlight on Black British artists for over 37 years. Talawa Firsts will see different themes each day during this new-look contemporary festival: Mondays are dedicated to The Scratches, a scratch night showcasing excerpts of the plays developed by the 2023 cohort of Talawa’s Introduction to
Writing Group; Tuesdays will see The Link-Ups, facilitated, intentional and thoughtful networking events led by Talawa’s New Work team; The Immersive works will be on Wednesdays; Thursdays will host The Double-Bills; and Friday will shake things up with The Motives – a rooftop club night and a poetry jam.
The first week will begin with the Croydon Writers’ Showcase on the 3rd July. Talawa’s 2023 Introduction to Writing Group, led by Michelle Matherson and the New Work team, have spent six months honing their craft and voices as the next generation of south London writingtalent. New ideas with no limits are on show at this exciting scratch night, featuring plays by Leke Zaharia-Cole, Khai Shaw, Amarra Smith, Eveline Reynolds-Boison, Lejaun Sheppard, Siannarah Millanaise, Cassandra Kyeyune, Anisha Kasozi, Kai Gama, Leah Omonya and Leeta Holmes. The 4 th July will see The Black Dramaturgs Link-Up, a dedicated networking evening for Black writers, shining a light on and advising on the increasingly important role of the dramaturg in theatre. On the 5th July, audiences can enjoy the first of The Immersives, an all- encompassing mysterious cabaret night, Nyumbani by Andrea Lungay in collaboration with Cocoa Butter Club’s finest artists interwoven as part of the immersive experience.
Other events to take place in the first week include: Double-Bill, a chance for new writers to showcase their work together and Metta Young Black Men’s Project will present a Yoga & Wellbeing workshop with Gerrard Martin.
Meanwhile, week two will include events such as new writing excerpts by Leke Zaharia-Cole, Khai Shaw, Amarra Smith, Eveline Reynolds-Boison, Lejaun Sheppard, Siannarah Millanaise, Cassandra Kyeyune, Anisha Kasozi, Kai Gama, Leah Omonya and Leeta Holmes in the Croydon Writers’ Showcase on 10th July, and The Black Theatre-makers Link-Up on 11th July, a legendary link-up in the making, where Talawa will open up their Studio to host Black theatre- makers seeking to broaden their network – from writers, directors and producers to movement artists, designers and performers. The second immersive show of the festival will be on 12th July, 1884 by Rhianna Ilube.
Talawa Firsts is aimed at avid theatre-goers and those who have never been to the theatre but are interested in coming along. The festival aims to be accessible to everyone, with many events free or pay what you can, and no tickets over £15 for the paid-for events.
To book tickets for any of the events visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/talawa-firsts-2023-new-ideas-no-limits-tickets-648715905737?aff=ebdsoporgprofile