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.
Temba, theatre company and the Black Theatre Collection: records
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- Bookmark:http://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/data/gb71-thm/77
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- ReferenceGB 71 THM/77
- Dates of Creation1973-1992
- Name of Creator
- Language of MaterialEnglish
- Physical Description11 boxes
Scope and Content
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
- THM/77/7 - Scripts relating to Productions byTemba
Access Information
This archive collection is available for consultation in the V&A Blythe House Archive and Library Study Room by appointment only. Full details of access arrangements may be found here: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/archives/.
Access to some of the material may be restricted. These are noted in the catalogue where relevant.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Temba, 1993.
Conditions Governing Use
Information on copying and commercial reproduction may be found here: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/archives/.
Appraisal Information
This collection was appraised in line with the collection management policy.
Custodial History
This material came to the V&A after the company closed in 1993.
Accruals
No further accruals expected.