Young, Gifted & Black celebrates the voices of young black artists

Soon to enter its fourth year, Young, Gifted & Black celebrates the voices and work of young black artists.

Over five weeks in October, Theatre Peckham will play host to events exploring themes of identity, friendship, loss, self-discovery and black womanhood.

Seven plays, a conceptual multimedia performance, a spoken word night and a showcase of young emerging talent, will be held at the venue. There will also be a series of in-conversation evenings with guest stars.

The season is put together by associate director Phillippe Cato. He is interested in new writing and queer voices.

Mr Cato said: “My hope is that audiences and the industry engage with the experiences that these artists share in each of their shows, on a personal and wider societal level. The talent is here, and we’re doing the work that needs to be done – now it’s time for them to be given further recognition, amplification and celebration.”

No I.D. focuses on the challenges of a transgender migrant.

The soundtrack was composed by writer and performer Tatenda Shamiso, in his first year on testosterone.

Tatenda also wrote and appears in Housewarming, a physically driven show about the experience of belonging to the African diaspora.

Dark Matter combines afrofuturism and spoken word.

It explores grief from the perspective of a Zimbabwean woman, who falls back on science and spirituality to devise a home bringing ritual for her grandmother’s spirit.

Ellipsis is a sensitive one hander on the subject of stillbirths and child loss, while Mulatto Boy asks what it is to be black and British.

Comedic drama Innocent Means Not Guilty tells the story of four black women about to become lawyers, whereas One Way Out begins with four young black men on A-level results day.

Underground BarZ will be delivering a list of subterranean spoken word and singing talent, in honour of black history month.

This will be complemented by Culture Drip Showcase – a platform giving exposure to emerging talents in the arts, from comics to musicians.

At the same time, visual performance artist Kaia Laurielle will be pushing the boundaries of storytelling through music, with her conceptual, multi-disciplinary project Without Hearts There is No Home.

 

Picture: In the Key Of Love Picture: Olivier Yohan