FAQs

GENERAL

What does Talawa do? Talawa is the UK’s outstanding Black British Theatre Company. Our purpose is to champion Black Excellence in theatre; to nurture talent in emerging and established artists of African or Caribbean heritage and to tell inspirational and passionate stories, reflecting Black experiences through art.

Talawa’s work is informed by the wealth and diversity of the Black British experience, through which we create outstanding work. We do this by cultivating the best in emerging and established Black artists. We invest in talent, develop audiences and inspire dialogue with and within communities across the UK and internationally. By doing so we enrich the cultural life of all.

In addition, we broaden the spectrum of work created by Black artists through commissioning new writing, and the development of ideas through seed commissions.

We run an annual season of play readings, Talawa Firsts, which showcase strong new work by Black artists looking for full production. 

The Company runs an extensive Community Engagement programme which includes TYPT, our school for new and emerging theatre makers, and a range of activities including bespoke workshops for all ages and abilities. These workshops are usually curriculum-based, artistic or related to participants' personal and social development.

Talawa also boosts the writing skills of emerging and established writers, strengthening and ensuring their career growth and position within the industry, through initiatives such as its Script Reading Service, script development and Talawa Firsts.

For further information, visit our About Us page.

How do I find you? Our offices and the Talawa Studio are located at Talawa Theatre Company, Fairfield Halls, Park Lane, Croydon, CR9 1DG

What are your office opening hours? We’re open from 10am until 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Do you have parking at your offices? There is 24 hour parking available at the NCP car park just next to Fairfield Halls. The NCP car park has several disabled bays.

Fairfield Halls NCP car park: http://bit.ly/1K8CF43  

Where do I find out about what shows you are touring? For information about our upcoming shows, please go to our ‘What’s On’ page.

How do I get in touch with someone about the projects you’re running? Contact us via our Contact page where you can find the relevant person to get in touch with.


GETTING INVOLVED

Does Talawa offer skills classes? We offer skills workshops throughout the year. To keep up to date with these events, sign up to our mailing list.

What is TYPT? TYPT is Talawa Theatre Company's flagship programme for emerging theatre makers aged 18-25. Through a intensive year-round support, we provide a unique stepping stone for performers, directors, designers and technicians at the beginning of their careers. You can find out more here.

What is MAKE? MAKE is a UK wide community of Black British theatre makers empowered to create their own path through a range of development activity. For more information visit the MAKE page.

How can I get involved with youth work with Talawa? Talawa works with people of all ages and abilities in a variety of settings. Our work with these groups follows two directions, and supports lifelong learning through:

Our artistic programme: this involves educational packages connected to our productions;

Our bespoke workshop programme: we create projects and residences to meet the needs of students, participants and theatre makers.

Get in touch to find out more – contact us.

I’m a facilitator. How can I get involved with Talawa? For information about becoming a facilitator through Talawa, or for employment opportunities contact us.

What is Talawa Firsts? Talawa Firsts is a season of firsts, showcasing new work, new talent, and building skills and networks for new theatre artists. Talawa Firsts aims to kick start the careers of exciting writers, directors and theatre-makers - the next generation to influence the future of British theatre. For more information visit the Talawa Firsts page.

What is Studio Firsts? Studio Firsts is a research and development opportunity for emerging theatre makers that is offered up at various times through the year. Successful applicants receive one week in the Talawa Studio, with tailored support from our team.

Do you have a network I can join? We recommend that you join MAKE Online, our community of Black British artists. We regularly post jobs, opportunities and ways to get involved there.

If you’d like to be involved, please email contact@talawa.com with your CV and we’ll add you to our database. In addition, do check out our website for the latest ways to get involved.

I’d like to invite Talawa Staff or Alumni to an event. How do I do that? To invite a member of Talawa Alumni to an event you’re holding, please email contact@talawa.com with the full details and how to RSVP for the event. We’ll forward the invitation on to the Alumni and ask them to RSVP directly to you.

YOUR WORK

How do I invite Talawa to read/see my work? We try to attend events whenever we can, but we’re a small team. To invite a member of the team to an event you’re holding, please email invitations@talawa.com with the full details and how to RSVP for the event, giving at least two weeks’ notice. We’re not always able to make it, but will try our best to!

How do I get my script read by a member of the Talawa team? We welcome script submissions from Black writers in the UK (people of African and Caribbean origin). We have up to three script submission windows per year and it’s totally free to use. For further information visit the Script Reading Service page. We regret that outside of the script submission window we can’t read unsolicited scripts.

Would you consider producing my play? Talawa’s team are often looking for new work to showcase in Talawa Firsts. If you would like to be considered to show a piece of work, please get in touch with us via invitations@talawa.com. You’re also welcome to submit your play to our Script Reading Service, available totally free, up to three times a year.

How do I get in touch with someone about producing help? We are a small team which means that we’re not able to produce work for other artists. However, we are in touch with several independent producers who specialise in Black work. Send us a brief email with a project outline to contact@talawa.com. We’ll then forward on your brief to a suitable venue/producer to be in touch with you directly.

For further information about how to produce work please visit these websites, which are both incredible resources:

Black Theatre Live http://blacktheatrelive.co.uk/

Stage One http://stageone.uk.com/

Do you programme work from non-UK residents? We don’t have the capacity to explore programming work from overseas theatre makers, sorry. There are resources available online that aim to connect theatre makers with venues all over the UK: one resource we know of is Tour Finder and it’s located here.

MARKETING & PRESS

How can I spread the word about a project I'm doing? If you’d like us to retweet something on Twitter, share a post on Facebook, an image/link on Instagram, or include something in our fortnightly newsletter please send an email to contact@talawa.com with full details (and if it’s a tweet, the 280 character tweet edited and ready to go). 

We don’t guarantee that we will circulate it. Do include the crucial information of what, where, when and how to purchase tickets.

Is Talawa on social networks? Of course we are! We’re on Twitter (@TalawaTheatreCo), Facebook (@TalawaPresents), and Instagram (@talawatc). Follow us!

I’m a member of the press and I would like to interview a member of the team. How can I arrange this? Please contact our press agents Chloe Nelkin Consulting at chloe@chloenelkinconsulting.com

Sign up to our newsletter here.

CASTING/VACANCIES

Can I submit my CV to you for future castings/recruitment? To be considered for casting opportunities, please submit your CV and/or spotlight PIN and a headshot to contact@talawa.com. We’ll add you to our database and share opportunities as they become available, so please give us your most up to date email address.

I’d like to audition for your next tour. How can I do that? To be considered in Talawa productions, please submit your CV and/or spotlight PIN and a headshot to contact@talawa.com with a covering letter. We’ll be in touch if you’re suitable and we’d like to meet you. We usually work with a casting director, so if you have an agent please also communicate your interest in Talawa with them.

Do you have a casting agency? We’re a small team and so outsource the bulk of our casting needs, but we do keep a database of actors, creatives, technicians and so forth for opportunities that other organisations ask us to help find theatre makers for. To be considered in casting opportunities, or if you’re a creative, technician, musician, director (and so forth!) please submit your CV and/or spotlight PIN and a headshot to contact@talawa.com. We’ll add you to our database and share opportunities as they become available, so please give us your most up to date email address.

I’m looking for actors to work on my project. Can you help? If your opportunity pays at least ITC/Equity minimum fees, we recommend sharing it to MAKE Online. We’re not able to pass on vacancies that are unpaid or expenses only. As we’re a small team, we regret that we cannot administrate the selection process for you.

Where can I get information about any vacancies you have? For information about any upcoming or available vacancies, please sign up to our newsletter and check out our website, or join MAKE Online, where we also share our opportunities.

THE ARCHIVE

Where is your archive? Our archive is held by the V&A Department of Theatre and Performance on Blythe Road in Kensington and is totally free to use, by appointment only. The archive is open Tuesday-Friday 10.15am-4.30pm, and is wheelchair accessible.

How do I access material at the Talawa archive? To access the Talawa archive, contact the V&A Department of Theatre and Performance at tmenquiries@vam.ac.uk or 020 7942 2723. To access the archive you will need to book an appointment, provide photo I.D. and a readers ticket.Additionally, you can view the catalogue of items in the Talawa Archive here.

Can I take information out of the Talawa archive? No. It isn’t possible to take items out of the Talawa archive.

Is it free to use? It’s absolutely free, and you can visit the archive as many times as you want. You will just need to make sure you book an appointment in advance.

I’d like to use some material from the Talawa archive for a project I’m working on. How do I do that? For information about accessing material for a project, please contact Ramona Riedzewski, Archivist and Conservation Manager at tmenquiries@vam.ac.uk or 020 7942 2723.

EDUCATION

I’m a student and need advice about a piece of work I’m doing. For information about the company for an educational project, please visit the About Us page. You can also visit the Talawa archive for historical information.

Can I interview someone from Talawa for my project? We’re a small team and our focus is on making work with Black British artists. Written questions allow us to be a bit more flexible with responding requests. To put in a request for an interview, please email our Marketing and Communications Manager, Sanjit Chudha, at marketing@talawa.com.

Do you offer work experience/internships and are they paid? From time to time we are able to offer paid work experience placements as part of higher education and university study. To submit your interest for working with us, please send a CV and covering letter to contact@talawa.com.

I'd like to see the King Lear film. How do I obtain a copy? King Lear is now available on Digital Theatre+, the educational wing of Digital Theatre. Copies can be obtained from here. It is available as part of a subscription package marketed to educational institutions. The DVD is also available for general sale on Amazon.  There is more information on King Lear: The Film available here.

HIRES

How do I hire a space from you? We aren’t able to offer space for hire.

Do you offer free space/discounts? We offer Studio Firsts, a research and development opportunity for emerging theatre makers that is offered twice per year. Each theatre-maker who is successful receives one week in the Studio and tailored support from our team. Click on the following link for more information about Studio Firsts.

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