Celebrating our MAKE Partnership
MAKE: Talawa Theatre Company, Beyond Face and Theatre Royal Plymouth celebrate their partnership
Talawa Theatre Company, Theatre Royal Plymouth and Beyond Face have been working together as part of MAKE to offer Black artists in Plymouth a fresh opportunity to grow their skills, collaborate with peers, and join the Beyond Face Ensemble.
By bringing together local playwrights, actors, theatre makers, directors, dancers, artists, live artists and designers, MAKE has created the space for artists to take risks with peers, meet, play and build a lasting network.
MAKE is Talawa Theatre Company’s UK wide community of Black British artists, empowered to create their own path through a range of development activity. MAKE provides support at each stage of an artist’s career, with bespoke talent development to ensure the future diversity of British theatre.
Roxan Kamali, Community Engagement Producer, Talawa Theatre Company
With MAKE, we wanted to address the ‘drop off point’ that often occurs for Black theatre makers. To sustain their careers, artists need strong pathways into the industry through skill building opportunities, collaborative networks, peer support and access to artistic expertise. MAKE is one of the ways that we continue to encourage meaningful and systemic diversity within the industry and across the UK.
Talawa Theatre Company is the most successful Black theatre company in the UK with an established a track record of producing work which shines a spotlight on Black artists, and creating theatre for diverse audiences across the country. Mounting more than 80 productions over a 34-year history, Talawa’s current production, Run It Back opens the Talawa Studio at Fairfield Halls. Later in 2020, Talawa are co-producing Archie Maddocks’ debut play A Place for We with Park Theatre. The MAKE community was created by Talawa Theatre Company in 2016, giving Black British theatre artists ownership and agency of their careers.
Ben Lyon-Ross, Talent Development Producer, Theatre Royal Plymouth
Here at the Theatre Royal Plymouth we are delighted to be partnering with both Beyond Face and Talawa on MAKE. It’s the perfect time for MAKE to be in the south west and we look forward to engaging and collaborating with the black community in Plymouth and supporting the talents of the city’s most exciting theatre artists.
The Theatre Royal Plymouth is the largest, best attended regional producing theatre in the UK and the leading promoter of theatre in the South West of England.
Beyond Face have worked with schools and colleges in Plymouth to engage with Black people not currently involved with either of the other partners or the theatre industry, offering workshops and networking events to increase their participation in theatre.
The four workshops featured Talawa artists and creatives and took place across January and February:
- Saturday 25 January, Jade Hackett Hip-hop Theatre practitioner
- Sunday 26 January, Ryan Calais Cameron of Nouveau Riche
- Saturday 15 February, Xana Sound Designer
- Sunday 16 February, Yami Löfvenberg Choreographer, Performer, Educator
The Beyond Face Ensemble have been taking part in these workshops, enabling the emerging artists to share, grow and develop their art form.
The work will culminate in a selection of work-in-progress performances from across all strands of Beyond Face’s activity.
Beyond Face present - We Are Here
Work from the Beyond Face Youth Company, professional Dance programme and 2 commissioned pieces by emerging artists will be shared on Friday 28th February. There will be something for everyone to enjoy.
We Are Here is free to attend, and tickets can be booked here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/we-are-here-tickets-89975411879
Alix Harris, Artistic Director, Beyond Face
We are really excited to be working with Talawa on MAKE, it gives the opportunity for the artists we are working with to be able to connect further with the industry. It is really important that companies both outside and in London work together towards a common goal to strengthen the sector and support for black artists. This relationship will hopefully put Plymouth on the map as a place for more artists to come and work."
If you would like to more information about Talawa or MAKE please call 020 7017 8987 or email roxan@talawa.com
If you would like to more information about Beyond Face please email alix@beyondface.co.uk, visit the website www.beyondface.co.uk, or follow @infobeyondface to keep up to date.
