Multiple and stunning revelations of the Black performers and productions that have graced the stages of London’s West End theatres
Explore the hidden history of African presence in the West End’s theatre district. With a recent explosion of Black productions since the events of 2020, we investigate and expose how far back the African/Caribbean presence on stage goes, who the performers were, where they appeared, audience reception and the racial climate at the time. This walk features:
- Black magicians, escape artists and hypnotists
- Famous actors and their roles (much more than just Paul Robeson)
- Black women producers and sell out shows
- Comedians and Tragedians and their amazing real life stories
- Enslaved people and plays on the West End stage
- US Civil Rights connections, Pearl, Edric, Harry
- Black British Civil Rights Activists and the acting colour bar
- The ‘Beyonce’ of the 1950s who owned her own castle
- Racist tropes, stereotypes and how they were overcome
- Current Black productions you can check out
Watch out for Black History Walks book ‘Black History Walks in London, Volume 1’ published by Jacaranda Books.This was part of Jacaranda’s revolutionary Twenty in 2020 initiative to publish 20 books by 20 Black British authors in 2020.
Other coming events:
- Black history helicopter tour
- 1958 Notting Hill Remembering the ‘riots’ and Black resistance
- Black History bus tour
- Black Heroes in Outer space: creating the future we want
- 18 Years of African Odysseys
- Racism at the British Film Institute
- African history at the Tower of London, black mental health
- African Superheroes Day
- Black history river cruise
- Regents Canal Black history cruise