National Theatre Launches Black Plays Archive Online

The National Theatre in London has launched its new website for the Black Plays Archive.

The Black Plays Archive is an online catalogue of the first professional production in the UK of plays written by Black British, African, and Caribbean playwrights.

Within the Black Plays Archive (BPA), users can search for productions, listen to audio extracts of plays, watch interviews with playwrights and browse our resources for teachers. The Black Plays Archive logs productions from all over the UK, not just plays from The National Theatre.

You can find information about a production, from where it had its premiere to the original cast and production team, with the online database spanning 1930 to today.

Who is the Black Plays Archive for?

The Black Plays Archive is for everyone, whether you’re a teacher, a student, an actor, a writer, an arts professional, or just a curious enthusiast.

The Black Plays Archive aims to expand the knowledge of those looking to learn about the works of Black British, African, and Caribbean playwrights and theatre-makers. With resources for teachers, audio recordings of plays, interviews and more, the Black Plays Archive is an expansive resource which aims to make information about productions, cast and production teams, and archival materials accessible in one central place.

The Black Plays Archive is managed and run by The National Theatre Archive team, but it includes historical work and productions from theatres across the UK. Discover the depths of Black British Theatre history here, with productions from the Royal Court, Leeds Playhouse, Bush Theatre and more catalogued on our website.

Learn more at https://www.blackplaysarchive.org.uk/.