Talawa Theatre Company, the UK’s premier Black British theatre organization, has officially launched TALAWA 86:26, a year-long program marking four decades of pioneering Black excellence. Running from April 2026 through September 2027, the anniversary season honors the company's 1986 foundations while aggressively championing the next generation of talent.
Honoring the Founders
Central to the celebrations is the launch of the Mona Hammond Lecture Series in September 2026. Created in collaboration with RADA, this three-year initiative honors the radical legacy of Talawa’s co-founder. Hammond, a RADA alumna, was instrumental in breaking racial barriers in British arts; the series will now serve as a vital forum for addressing modern industry trends and nurturing Global Majority talent.
Additionally, the company will revisit its roots this summer with a special staged reading of its debut 1986 production, The Black Jacobins. Developed with the University of Glasgow, the event explores the enduring relevance of C.L.R. James’s Haitian Revolution narrative in today’s anti-racist movements.
National Tours and New Works
Talawa’s reach extends beyond the stage this year with Fragments of Us, an outdoor festival tour supported by Without Walls. The production—a collaboration with dance company FUBUNATION and artist Sonia Hughes—uses movement and spoken word to platform Black experiences. The tour hits major stops including:
Norfolk & Norwich Festival (May 9–10)
Brighton Festival (May 23–24)
Birmingham Weekender (August 29–31)
Stockton International Riverside Festival
Younger audiences are also catered to with Omaan and the Sun Orb, a new audio drama by Daniel Bailey that uses a father-son "make-believe" world to discuss climate change.
Investing in the Future
The anniversary also sees the return of flagship development programs like Talawa Firsts (June 29 – July 3) and the Young People’s Theatre Programme (TYPT). With alumni including Michaela Coel and Nonso Anozie, these initiatives remain the cornerstone of Talawa’s mission.
"We continue our work with joy, hope, and fortitude," says Executive Director Carolyn ML Forsyth. "Our founders gifted us an extraordinary legacy and a responsibility to pay it forward."
