Black Plays at the Royal Court The 1970s: A Decade of Assertion and Global Voices

The 1970s marked a period of growing confidence and assertion in Black drama at the Royal Court, with voices from across the African diaspora finding a platform.

Mustapha Matura emerged as a significant voice with plays like Give the Gaffers Time to Love You, More, More, As Time Goes By, Black Slaves, White Chains (1975) and Rum and Coca-Cola (1976), offering incisive critiques of colonial legacies and post-independence Caribbean society.

Yemi Ajibade’s Parcel Post (1976) brought a nuanced exploration of the immigrant experience to the stage. Set in a cramped London flat, the play delved into the complexities of cultural displacement, gender expectations, and the precarious nature of immigrant life in 1960s Britain. Through the story of Sam Folagunle and his mail-order bride Jumaimah, Ajibade crafted a poignant commentary on the clash between tradition and modernity.

The staging of Aimé Césaire‘s Return to My Native Land (1977) was a landmark moment, bringing the philosophy of Negritude to the Court’s stage. This poetic exploration of Black identity and the legacy of slavery forced audiences to confront the deep-rooted impacts of colonialism.

Michael McMillan’s The School Leaver (1977), presented as part of the Young Writers Festival, marked a shift towards exploring the lived realities of second-generation immigrants. This groundbreaking play focused on young Black Britons navigating the education system and job market, paving the way for future explorations of Black British identity.

The decade also saw the Royal Court engaging with South African voices, bringing the realities of apartheid to London audiences. Productions of Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona’s The Island and Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act, as well as Fugard’s Boesman and Lena, offered powerful indictments of the apartheid system. These plays not only raised awareness of the situation in South Africa but also drew parallels with racial injustice in Britain.

Adrienne Kennedy returned to the Court with A Rat’s Mass (1976), further pushing the boundaries of experimental theatre with her surrealist exploration of childhood trauma and racial identity.

These diverse theatrical voices emerged against a backdrop of significant social and political events, including the Immigration Act 1971 and high-profile incidents of racial tension like the Mangrove Nine trial and the Spaghetti House siege.