Balham-born Sidney Cole is a familiar face that you may not be able to put a name too. A respected character actor, he has done comedy, with French and Saunders, theatre with the RSC and film with actors such as Bob Hoskins. His latest incarnation is as Horse in the stage adaptation of the successful… Continue reading Interview with Sidney Cole

Talented actress and writer Michaela Coel, who is making waves in Blurred Lines at The Shed, is also about to star in her self-penned one woman play Chewing Gum Dreams, which won the 2012 Alfred Fagon Award for best new play. Developed at (and supported by) The Yard Theatre, with direction by Nadia Fall, the… Continue reading Chewing Gum Dreams

An unconventional arrangement: Danny Webb (He) and Saskia Reeves (She). Photo by Manuel Harlan. Play: The Mistress Contract Theatre: Royal Court Theatre Playwright: Abi Morgan Director: Vicky Featherstone Review by Natalie Gormally Abi Morgan makes her Royal Court debut with an adaptation of The Mistress Contract, the memoir of an anonymous American couple only known… Continue reading The Mistress Contract

A man of many faces: Adrian Lester as Ira Aldridge in Red Velvet Photo by Tristram Kenton. Play: Red Velvet Theatre: Tricycle Theatre Playwright: Lolita Chakrabarti Director: Indhu Rubasingham Review by Joy Francis If Lolita Chakrabarti hadn’t stumbled upon the incredible story of the African-American, British-based actor Ira Aldridge in 1998, his eventful life would… Continue reading Red Velvet

The Body Narratives presents an intimate evening of film to support the anticipated exhibition and workshops entitled A Different Mirror in April 2014. The event aims to introduce audiences to, and encourage support for, the exhibition’s artists and workshops, as well as generate funding for the innovative project. Wadjda is a tale of a 10… Continue reading Body Narratives Screening of Wadjda

The SI Leeds Literary Prize for unpublished fiction by black and Asian women writers in the UK is now accepting entries for 2014. The prize runs biennially and the first award was made in October 2012 to Minoli Salgado’s A Little Dust on the Eyes, at the Ilkley Literature Festival. Three prize winners will receive… Continue reading SI Leeds Literary Prize 2014

The RSL Brookleaze Grants for writers is open for submissions. The purpose of these grants is to buy time for novelists, short story writers, poets or playwrights with pieces of work in hand. The Council of the RSL, who will be responsible for awarding the grants, will be particularly interested in applications from writers who… Continue reading RSL Brookleaze Grants for writers

The New Statesman and Wellcome Trust have joined forces to offer a summer placement to students or graduates from an ethnic minority background who aspire to be a science journalist. During the eight week placement successful applicants will undertake a data-driven journalism research project on a scientific topic, which will be published on the New… Continue reading New Statesman and Wellcome Trust journalism scholarship

Book: Revolt Author: Qaisra Shahraz Publisher: Arcadia Books Review by Natalie Gormally Revolt is a multi-layered, multi-faceted story of love, loss, intergenerational conflict, culture and tradition.

Words of Colour’s Joy Francis and Mesha McNeil (centre) with the guest speakers at Making your Mark. When Words of Colour Productions produced a survey for young creatives to tell us what they needed to get their careers kick started we were lucky enough to meet nearly 100 of them in person at special event… Continue reading Helping young creatives shine