various writers
Soho Theatre, London
13-15 October 2005
A brand new forum for contemporary Black play-writing
Talawa presents a rare opportunity to see new Black playwriting with the launch of its new play-reading series and mini-symposium Unzipped. Taking place during Black History Month, Unzipped is the culmination of the year long
Talawa/Channel 4 Black Writers Group which aims to develop and promote emerging Black, Asian and Chinese writers who have had one play previously produced.
Also supported by
BBC, Peggy Ramsay Foundation and
LWT, the result is a vivid exploration of raw, impassioned stories told by 7 of the best emerging Black, Asian and Chinese British writers, whose themes of sex and sexuality, race and revolution are set against a myriad of political backdrops. This years writers include;
Oladipo Agboluaje, Kofi Agyemang, Geoffery Aymer, Pat Cumper, Troy Andrew Fairclough, Funke Oyebanjo and Ben Yeoh.
In addition to the readings, a series of panel discussions will provide a forum for provocative discussion amongst a panel of respected Black theatre professionals including
Kwame Kwei-Armah, Karena Johnson and
Tameka Empson among very special guests. Topics include:
Africa TalkingA debate on the representation of African work;
The Minority ReportA look at the stereotypical scope of minority story-telling;
Who's Laughing Now?A deliberation on the impact of Black British humour.
Unzipped 2005 Writers
Oladipo AgboluajeOladipo wrote his first stage play
Early Morning in 2003, followed by a West African adaptation of
Mother Courage and Her Children (2004). He was writer in residence of the New Wolsey Theatre (2004/5) and is also on the Soho Writers Attachment Programme.
Kofi AgymeangKofi grew up in East London where he attended the Stratford East Writer's Workshop. At the age of 24 he won the BBC Young Writers Award and produced his first radio play,
All Things on Top. In 2003, he co-wrote the Talawa/Stratford East main stage production
Urban Afro Saxons.
Geoff AymerGeoff is a writer, actor and comedian that's been working in the performing arts for more than a decade and a half. Playwriting credits include a radio short
Got Your Number (BBC3 counties); two T.I.E pieces:
Wha Tif (Hackney Empire) and
What a Wonderful World (Blue Elephant). He has also written a full length feature play The Oddest Couple (Theatre Royal Stratford East, 2004)As well as being part of Talawa Theatre Writers' Group, he is also a member of The Oval House Theatre Writers' Group.
Pat CumperPat writes drama for the stage and radio. Her last play
The Key Game was included in Time Out's Critic's choice column and her radio pieces are regularly chosen as Radio Times' Pick of the Week. She won the RIMA Radio Drama award for a drama series on Radio Four and is currently adapting Andrea Levy's Small Island for Woman's Hour. She has written two Ska based musicals, both of which are in development for full production.
Troy FaircloughTroy's first professional play
You Don't Kiss won the Newham Writing Out Award and performed for the first time at Stratford Circus Theatre in 2002, before going on a 10 date national tour. In 2004 he completed a six month
Writing for Radio project with the BBC, culminating in his first BBC radio play. He is also currently developing a second play about the footballer Justin Fashanu.
Ben YeohBorn in London to a Malaysian father and Singaporean mother, Ben studied natural sciences at Cambridge before dramaturgy and writing at Harvard. He has written several plays including;
Lemon Grove (Finborough Theatre) and
Lost In Peru (Camden People's Theatre). Other credits include; readings and performances of
Statements (Soho Theatre),
Letters and Nights of War and Love (Theatre & Beyond),
Confessions (Chelsea Theatre) and
Inventors of Fireworks (BBC Radio 3). Ben has also directed and been involved with writing groups such as Royal Court Writers, Soho Young Writers, Talawa, BBC Radio, Moti Roti and Yellow Ink. His latest play,
Yellow Gentlemen will perform in London, 2006.
