Contents [ printable ]

THM/77 - Temba, theatre company and the Black Theatre Collection: records
Next Last
Page: of 6

Temba, theatre company and the Black Theatre Collection: records

What is this?
  • this Description
  • View XML | View Text
This material is held at V&A Museum: Department of Theatre and Performance
Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77
Dates of Creation1973-1992
Name of Creator Temba Theatre Company
Language of Material English
Physical Description 244 files

Scope and Content

Press cuttings and photographs from Temba productions. Also press cuttings about theatre by other black and Asian companies and theatre practitioners in the UK and internationally. Also small amounts of cuttings about dance, music, comedy, film, radio and television involving black and Asian people. Most of the material relates to works involving black people, with smaller amounts of material relating to Asian people.

Administrative / Biographical History

Temba Theatre Company was founded by Alton Kumalo in 1972. The initial aim was to produce new black writing from the UK and South Africa. The word Temba is said to mean 'Hope' in Zulu. Temba staged the first British production of Sizwe Bansi is Dead by Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona, as well as many world premieres, including Black Slaves, White Chains by Mustapha Matura.

In 1984 Alby James took over as Artistic Director and sought to create new audiences for the company. More world premieres were put on, including Back Street Mammy by Trish Cooke, Glory! by Felix Cross and Streetwise by Benjamin Zephaniah. Staff at Temba collected press cuttings about their own activities but also about theatre and other cultural events involving black and Asian people and some political issues, such as the cultural boycott of South Africa and UK arts funding. The company closed in 1992, due to the withdrawal of funding by the Arts Council of Great Britain.

Arrangement

Material relating to Temba's productions has been arranged chronologically, other material has been arranged alphabetically, in the following series:

  • THM/77/1 - Press cuttings about Temba productions
  • THM/77/2 - Press cuttings about productions involving black and Asian people, other than Temba productions
  • THM/77/3 - Press cuttings about Shakespeare productions involving black and Asian people
  • THM/77/4 - Press cuttings about black and Asian theatre companies and festivals
  • THM/77/5 - Press cuttings about black and Asian theatre practitioners
  • THM/77/6 - Photographs of Temba productions

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is available for consultation in the V&A Department of Theatre and Performance's Reading Room, which is located at Blythe House, 23 Blythe Rd, Olympia, London, W14 0QX. The Reading Room is open Tuesday to Friday between 10.15 am and 4.30 pm. Access to it is by appointment only. To request an appointment please email tmenquiries@vam.ac.uk or telephone 020 7942 2698.

Access to some of these files may be restricted. These are identified at file level.

Conditions Governing Use

Archive material may not be photocopied. Arrangements can be made to photograph material in the reading room using non-flash photography.

Appraisal Information

This collection was appraised in line with the collection management policy.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Temba, 1993.

Custodial History

This material came to the V&A after the company closed in 1993.

Accruals

No further accruals expected.

Related Material

See also the Department of Theatre and Performance core collections: material relating to Temba may be found in several collections, including production files, company files, theatre buildings files, biographical files for related persons, and photographs. Please ask for details.

Scripts have been removed and transferred to the V&A Theatre and Performance library collections. Programmes and flyers have been removed and transferred to the V&A Theatre and Performance core collections.

Subjects

Theater - Great Britain - History - 20th century
Black theater - Great Britain
Actors, Black

Personal Names

Kumalo, Alton

Corporate Names

Temba Theatre Company
Arts Council of Great Britain

Cataloguing Info

Title Temba, theatre company and the Black Theatre Collection: records
Sub-titleCatalogue of records in the V&A Museum: Department of Theatre and Performance
AuthorCatalogued by Vaila Holbourn
Revisions

Press cuttings about Temba productions

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1
Dates of Creation1973-1992
Physical Description 26 files

Scope and Content

Press cuttings about Temba productions including reviews.

Arrangement

These files have been arranged chronologically by date of production.

Press cuttings about the beginnings of Temba and early productions

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/1
Dates of Creation1973-1991
Physical Description 2 folders

Scope and Content

Includes cuttings about Alton Kumalo and early productions including Temba by Alton Kumalo, No Good Friday by Athol Fugard, The Blood Knot by Athol Fugard, Caliban Lives by Richard Drain, Sizwe Bansi is Dead by Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona and Mister Biko by Alton Kumalo.

Press cuttings about Theresa by Alton Kumalo

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/2
Dates of Creation1979
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Black Lear adapted by Barrie Keefe

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/3
Dates of Creation1980
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Exodus by Alton Kumalo and Jamal Ali

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/4
Dates of Creation1982
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about City Jungle by Alton Kumalo

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/5
Dates of Creation1982
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about The Island by Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/6
Dates of Creation1978-1983
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Bitter Milk by Alton Kumalo and David Clough

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/7
Dates of Creation1983
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Getting Plenty by Peter Speyer

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/8
Dates of Creation1983-1984
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about The Boot Dance by Edgar White

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/9
Dates of Creation1984-1985
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Scrape off the Black by Tunde Ikoli

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/10
Dates of Creation1980-1985
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Pantomime by Derek Walcott

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/11
Dates of Creation1985
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Mamma Decemba by Nigel D Moffatt

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/12
Dates of Creation1985
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about The Pirate Princess by Barbara Gloudon

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/13
Dates of Creation1986
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Woza Albert! by Percy Mtwa, Mbongeni Ngema and Barney Simon

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/14
Dates of Creation1986-1987
Physical Description 1 folder

Scope and Content

Includes cuttings about tour of Holland, France and Spain.

Press cuttings about Black Love Songs Herbert III by Ted Shine and Black Love Song No 1 by Kalamu Ya Salaam

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/15
Dates of Creation1987-1988
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about A Visitor to the Veldt by Mfundi Vundla

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/16
Dates of Creation1988
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Romeo and Juliet adapted by Alby James

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/17
Dates of Creation1988
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Black Sheep by Derrick Cameron

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/18
Dates of Creation1988
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Mother Poem by Edward Kamau Braithwaite

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/19
Dates of Creation1989
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Back Street Mammy by Trish Cooke

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/20
Dates of Creation1989
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Woza Albert! by Percy Mtwa, Mbongeni Ngema and Barney Simon

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/21
Dates of Creation1989-1990
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Mamma Decemba by Nigel Moffatt and Streetwise by Benjamin Zephaniah

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/22
Dates of Creation1990-1991
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen, translated by Michael Meyer and directed by Alby James

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/23
Dates of Creation1991
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about A Killing Passion based on The Transposed Heads by Thomas Mann, adapted by Alby James and Sheena Wrigley

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/1/24
Dates of Creation1991-1992
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about productions involving black and Asian people, other than Temba productions

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/2
Dates of Creation1983-1992
Physical Description 123 files

Scope and Content

Press cuttings about productions by black and Asian companies, with black and Asian writers, directors and/or actors, including reviews.

Arrangement

These files have been arranged alphabetically by name of production.

Press cuttings about Adam's Dream by Allison West, by Black Theatre Co-Operative, directed by Malcolm Frederick

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/2/1
Dates of Creation1989
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about After the Fall by Arthur Miller, directed by Michael Blakmere, at the National Theatre, London

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/2/2
Dates of Creation1990
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about The Amen Corner by James Baldwin, by Carib

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/2/3
Dates of Creation1987
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Anowa by Ama Ata Aidoo at The Gate Theatre, London

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/2/4
Dates of Creation1991
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about The Bacchae by Shared Experience at the Lyric Studio Hammersmith by Trish Cooke

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/2/5
Dates of Creation1988
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Back Street Mammy by Trish Cooke at the Courtyard Theatre Leeds

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/2/6
Dates of Creation1991
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about The Base by Louis Marriott, by Umoja Theatre Company

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/2/7
Dates of Creation1990
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Beef, No Chicken by Derek Walcott, Talawa Theatre Company at The Shaw Theatre, London

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/2/8
Dates of Creation1989
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about The Beggar by Bertolt Brecht, by Tara Arts

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/2/9
Dates of Creation1990
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter at The Place, London

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/2/10
Dates of Creation1990
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about Black Heroes in the Hall of Fame at the Lewisham Theatre

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/2/11
Dates of Creation1989
Physical Description 1 folder

Press cuttings about The Black Jacobins by CLR James, by Talawa Theatre Company at the Riverside Studios, London

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/77/2/12
Dates of Creation1986
Physical Description 1 folder
Next Last
Page: of 6