Natalie Ibu has been appointed the new artistic director of Tiata Fahodzi, replacing Lucian Msamati. Ibu, who takes up the role in December 2014, joins the company as it starts its residency at Watford Palace Theatre, giving it a creative home for the first time in its 17 year history.

Hackney Empire’s award-winning Mother Goose, starring Clive Rowe, returns to Hackney Empire with an all star cast. Acclaimed director Susie McKenna plays evil sorceress Vanity alongside Sharon D Clarke’s good enchantress Charity and Kat B as Billy Goose.

Book: Fashion Africa: A visual overview of contemporary African fashion (2nd edition) Author: Jacqueline Shaw Publisher: Jacaranda Books Price: £29.99 Review by Joy Francis Back in 2011, fashion designer and budding eco-entrepreneur Jacqueline Shaw self published the encyclopedic Fashion Africa: A visual overview of contemporary African fashion. Fast forward three years and the leading blogger… Continue reading Fashion Africa

Marcus Gardley is a talented African American playwright and poet who is proving difficult to ignore. A few years into his career and he has garnered a number of prestigious awards, including the 2011 PEN/Laura Pels Award for Mid-Career Playwright, the Helen Merrill Award, a Kesselring Honor, the Gerbode Emerging Playwright Award, the National Alliance… Continue reading Interview with Marcus Gardley

Creative differences: Rita Balogun (Innoncence), Rebecca Omogbehin (Chinedu) and Stephanie Levi-John (Esomo). Photo credit: Matt Hargraves Play: How Nigeria Became: A story, and a spear that didn’t work Theatre: Unicorn Theatre Playwright: Gbolahan Obisesan Director: Gbolahan Obisesan Review by Joy Francis Director and playwright Gbolahan Obisesan’s ability to imaginatively combine history, humour and Yoruba folklore… Continue reading How Nigeria Became: A story, and a spear that didn’t work

The Scottsboro Boys, Kander and Ebb’s (Cabaret, Chicago) award-winning and final musical, has transferred to London’s West End for a strictly limited season following its highly acclaimed and sold-out season at the Young Vic. The recipient of the prestigious Critics’ Circle Award for Best Musical, the critically acclaimed production is directed and choreographed by five-time… Continue reading The Scottsboro Boys transfers to the West End

Women on the edge: Michele Austin (La Veuve), Ronke Adekoluejo (Odette), Danusia Samal (Maude Lynn), Ayesha Antoine (Agnes) and Martina Laird (Beartrice). Photo credit: Mark Douet Play: The House That Will Not Stand Theatre: Tricycle Theatre Playwright: Marcus Gardley Director: Indhu Rubasingham Review by Joy Francis Set in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1836, The House… Continue reading The House That Will Not Stand

Broken friendship: Omar Ibrahim (Ashfaq) and Shane Noone (Eddie) Photo credit: Chris Gardner for Rare Moustache Play: Warde Street Theatre: Park Theatre Playwright: Damien Tracey Director: Jenny Eastop Review by Joy Francis With newspaper headlines gripped by the international threat posed by ISIS, the Jihadist militant group in Iraq and Syria, Warde Street’s focus on… Continue reading Warde Street

Words of Colour Productions has profiled the talented playwright Bola Agbaje‘s career since she won a well deserved Laurence Olivier Award for her debut play Gone Too Far! at the Royal Court Theatre in 2007. Numerous plays (such as Off the Endz, BELONG, Women, Power and Politics) and many awards later, Agbaje has turned her… Continue reading Interview with Bola Agbaje

Internationally acclaimed spoken word artist and poet Jean Binta Breeze is supporting a new social marketing mental health campaign targeting people from African and Caribbean communities. From 10 October to 23 November 2014, Time to Change, England’s biggest mental health anti stigma campaign run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, will use the… Continue reading Jean Binta Breeze supports Time to Change campaign