Bigger and better Talawa Firsts are back this summer

Following the success of last year’s two-week festival of new and emerging black works and artists, the Talawa Firsts festival returns. In July, at their base in Croydon, Talawa Theater Company will host two amazing weeks of new works, workshops, rooftop club nights, their first screenings of Don’t Flick short films and more, themed around obsessions and chance encounters , encouraging all festival goers to stay. curious!

Each week there will be events, including a writer’s presentation, a new short film night – Not Flick – and night of new poetry – First sight – a double line-up of new work and even more events for the Croydon community to enjoy this summer, soak up the culture, network and experience some of Croydon’s best up and coming artists!

The first week will begin with the first writer’s introduction, followed by a connection with Black Theatremakers. The first Don’t Flick – a film night featuring short films Heaven comes to earth by Tebogo Malebogo and Taxi ride by Femi Tiwo and Ola Jones – will follow mid-week. The first double bill on the 4th of July will be Hannah Shury-Smith Pool and Khai Shaw’s Aromatherapy. Pool sees repressed memories surface when three best friends, Ella, Jada and Isra, are stranded by a flood near the pool of an English spa – and there’s no escaping the anger bubbling beneath the surface of this picture-perfect friendship. In the hard hitting Aromatherapy, Marcus – a perfume salesman who hates his job – meets Sol, who promises money, power and glory. Marcus has the chance to be the man he’s always dreamed of—and he’ll lose everything in the process. Week 1 will conclude with a Masterclass by theater director Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu, providing skills to emerging artists and BORN::FREE’s Veranda – an epic poetry and music jam with a house band of emerging London artists and experimental live performance that prioritizes Afrodiasporic narratives.

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Week Two opens with the second Writers’ Showcase, followed by a Black Playwriting Club hosted by Talawa’s new work team. On July 10, First Look will take place – an evening of experimental performance with five new works: Hannah Montana by Amani Cosmo; From Danni Ebanks-Ingram to you, from us; of Lou Robbin void; of mandla rae CATEGORY: ERROR; and Say when by Regina Agard-Brathwaite.

The second double bill, followed by the second Masterclass led by Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu, features Daniel Ward’s film. Sandilands and Dee Williamson’s Under the table. In the Sandilands, two strangers meet on the streets of Croydon, both in desperate need of help – but they must manage if they trust each other. At Williamson’s Under the table, a detective, a gangster and a vicar enter a hospital… when Gloria is hospitalized in a coma, a young detective must determine who is there to wish her well and who is there to wish her ill. Following the second Masterclass, the festival will end with a bang as BORN::FREE presents GET::FREE, an Afrodiasporic club night with live percussion!

Talawa Firsts caters to theater goers as well as those who have never been to the theatre. The festival aims to be accessible to all and for regular culture vultures to enjoy and will be welcoming and fun for those who have never been to live theater before, from new theatre, workshops and live music. Talawa Firsts invite anyone and everyone to enjoy this festival of culture in Croydon.

More information can be found here