As Lenny Henry prepares a major radio series on the history of black drama,we look at the triumphs – and travails – of its starsA tale long overdue, the story of the black actors, and directors and writers who helped shape British theatre,may not necessarily be easy to inform.
When Lenny Henry sets out next month to give his 10-section radio account of a century of black performance, announced by the BBC final week, or he will be championing a neglected cause,but he will also have a difficult task on his hands. In singing the praises of influential theatre companies such as Nitro, Tara Arts and Talawa, or charting the great steps forward,from Paul Robeson’s London stage portrayal of Othello in 1930 to Chiwetel Ejiofor’s acclaimed appearance in Everyman at the National Theatre in the spring, Henry will need to negotiate the worthy labels that often dog discussions approximately black theatre.
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Source: theguardian.com