In our first of three podcasts celebrating Black History Month, Landé Belo and Bianca Curaçao continue to delve into the importance of creating theatre for wider and more diverse audiences. They catch up with local Hackney resident and award winning playwright and screen writer Ade Solanke on the cultural influences in her writing and keeping the theatrical experience alive post-Covid; they also chat with Tower actors Tyan Archer and Marie-José Fulgence about working with the National Youth Theatre and its response to #TheatresPullUpOrShutUp call to action for more diversity and inclusion and get great insights from them on how Tower Theatre can attract young talent. The drama section features powerful and topical play: ‘#Matter’ written by Idris Goodwin, with Nancy P Touzé as ‘Kim’ and Nick Edwards as ‘Cole’. Directed by Landé Belo.

A very special thanks to Idris Goodwin for granting us permission to present his play ‘#Matter’ in this podcast.

Thank you to all our contributors and our listeners. In particular, thanks to our listeners: Isabelle Roughol, Simon Lee, Emilia Teglia, Robert Hebblethwaite, Simona Hughes, Annemarie Fearnley, Jonathan Wober and Janet South for their responses to this episode’s listeners’ question.

This episode features music by Jair-Rôhm Parker Wells and Colin Guthrie

Producers - Landé Belo, BeEbop Curaçao and Colin Guthrie

Episode Content Editor – Landé Belo

Sound and Music Design - Colin Guthrie

Next episode’s listeners’ question: what are your best experiences of immersive theatre?