A spectacular lineup of some of the UK’s most acclaimed Black theatre artists, from across Talawa’s history, will come together to celebrate the company that championed them for one extraordinary 40th anniversary event.Talawa Iconic arrives at Hackney Empire on 13th October for an evening looking back on Talawa’s profound influence on Black British theatre.
Set to open with a speech by Olivier Award-nominated actor and trustee of host venue Hackney EmpireJosette Bushell-Mingo OBE (The Lion King, Lyceum Theatre;Nina – A Story About Me and Nina Simone, Unity Theatre), whose illustrious career reflects the excellence Talawa has championed for generations, the night’s programme brings together excerpts from productions spanning Talawa’s pioneering four decades. Performances include Talawa’s inaugural productionThe Black Jacobins (1986),The Importance of Being Earnest (1989), Talawa co-founder Yvonne Brewster OBE’s history-makingAntony & Cleopatra (1991),King Lear (2015), Theresa Ikoko’s award-winning dramaGirls (2016), immersive dance experienceRun It Back (2019),A Place for We (2021), musical tribute to overlooked Black British historyRecognition (2023),Play On!(2025) and its powerful fusion of dance and spoken wordFragments of Us (2026). Accompanied by music fromChineke! Quartet, the performances will celebrate the breadth of Talawa’s work and its lasting influence on British theatre.
Bringing her formidable comic energy toTalawa Iconic, BBC screen starTameka Empson (Eastenders, BBC;Aladdin, Hackney Empire) returns to Hackney Empire’s stage joining longstanding Talawa actorBen Thomas (Antony and Cleopatra,Everyman Theatre Liverpool) whose own history with the company goes back three decades to revisit Oscar Wilde’s wittyThe Importance of Being Earnest.
Award-winning playwright and Talawa alumnaTheresa Ikoko (WAHALA, BBC;Girls, Soho Theatre, Talawa) will showcase an excerpt fromGirls(2016) which won the prestigious Alfred Fagon award, her powerful drama about three friends whose bond is tested after they are kidnapped from their Nigerian hometown. Talawa first supported Ikoko through itsTalawa Firsts programme before producing the play, which won the prestigious Alfred Fagon Award. The programme continues today, reflecting Talawa’s enduring commitment to nurturing vital new voices within the industry.
Original cast memberDavid Webber (After Sunday, The Bush Theatre;Chewing Gum, Channel 4) reunites withLaurence Ubong Williams (The Motive and the Cue, National Theatre) forA Place for We, using humour and heart to explore belonging and cultural identity. While returning cast memberLifford Shillingford (Britain’s Got Talent; ITV) serenades audiences in a snippet from Talawa’s hit musical revivalPlay On!
In a particularly poignant homecoming,Doña Croll (Antony & Cleopatra, Bloomsbury Theatre;All My Sons, New Wolsey Theatre) will return toAntony & Cleopatra and the role that made theatrical history when she became the first Black actor to play Cleopatra professionally on the British stage. Originally directed by Talawa co-founder Yvonne Brewster OBE in 1991, the production will form one of several special tributes celebrating the visionary woman who helped make Talawa what it is today.
Artistic Director Michael Buffong comments,It’s a real joy and privilege for us to bring such a selection of phenomenal Black talent to the stage to celebrate our 40th anniversary. The evening will be uniquely Talawa, displaying the breadth and depth of talent and stories we have collaborated on over the years. This is one not to be missed.
Main image: Michael Buffong, Yvonne Brewster OBE, photography credit to Pamela Raith
This post was last modified on September 5, 2026 12:40 pm