Mona Hammond News

In its landmark 40th anniversary year, Talawa Theatre Company has appointed Shonagh Reid as its new chair of the board of trustees. Learn more about the appointment here!

In a significant move during its 40th anniversary, Talawa Theatre Company appoints Shonagh Reid as the new Chair of the Board of Trustees. Learn more here!

Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, Leicester, will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the annual dance festival, LET'S DANCE INTERNATIONAL FRONTIERS 2025 (LDIF25). Learn more here!

100 BLACK WOMEN WHO HAVE MADE A MARK is a new art exhibition created and produced by Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage in Leicester that will run at Leicester Gallery from October 1st 2024 to January 4th 2025. 

Kathryn Hunter and Winsome Pinnock have been made Honorary Fellows of RADA.

BLACK AND GIFTED is the first large-scale exhibition of material from Riverside’s archive collection, curated by Creative Associate Reuben Esson-Parkes, running from Monday 13 March - Sunday 16 April.

​​​​​​​Talawa, the UK's leading Black theatre company, is remaining a National Portfolio Organisation (NPO).  Announced on 4th November 2022, Talawa acknowledges this important funding that allows them to continue and expand their vital work championing Black excellence in UK theatre and beyond.  

Talawa, the UK’s outstanding Black theatre company, is holding an evening of celebration in honour of its late co-founder Mona Hammond OBE (1931–2022).  As one of the founders of Talawa Theatre Company in 1986, Hammond was instrumental in championing Black British theatre and her passion and vision was fundamental to the company’s work.

It's been a good year for Sharon D Clarke. In April, she finished starring in Caroline, or Change, for which she won the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Clarke and the show transfer to Broadway next year. In the summer, she was The Lady in Blues in the Night at the Kiln Theatre and she also starred as Linda Loman in Death of a Salesman at the Young Vic. Miller's play, directed by Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell, transfers to the Piccadilly Theatre this autumn.

Winners, presenters and nominees for the WOW Women in Creative Industries Awards at Southbank Centre including (L-R) Lennie Goodings, Sabrina Mahfouz, Phyllida Lloyd, Bobby Baker, Liz Carr, Kate Mosse, Lubaina Himid, Shobana Jeyasingh, Amy Lame, Mary Portas, Jackie Hagan, Juno Dawson, Louis Weaver, Dawn Walton, Mona Hammond, Jude Kelly, Liv Little, Roshni Goyate, Chi-chi Nwanoku, Sarah Crompton, Vicky Featherstone, Mira Kaushik, Josette Bushell-Mingo, Deborah Williams and Adjoa Andoh

The Faction, pioneers of 21st Century repertory theatre and producers of critically acclaimed sell-out seasons as one of New Diorama's associate ensembles, will complete their six year tenure at the theatre with a fittingly epic finale: a 21-person Richard III.

According to the Daily Mail, Mustapha Matura's PLAY MAS is set for Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond next spring, helmed by Paulette Randall, who was among those on the creative team for 2012's London Olympics opening ceremony.