Black Men Walking (written by rapper Testament) is a new play inspired by a real-life black men’s walking group in Yorkshire. Not only does the play set its sights on challenging clichéd representations of black people but it’s also an experimental work fusing music, movement and magic.
As Testament recently explained to the Guardian: “Three men are part of a walking group. On a day when the walk should have been called off because of the weather, they decide to get out as each of them is facing some kind of crisis. As they walk they – and we as an audience – encounter the people whose footsteps they’re walking in. Black Yorkshire ancestors.”
Dawn Walton, artistic director of Eclipse, a Sheffield based black theatre touring company, was bored of only ever coming across three black stories in British theatres – slavery stories, immigrant stories, and gang stories. She knew there was a far greater range of stories out there and she wanted to tell them. Revolution Mix is the result – a programme of new plays inspired by 500 years of black British history and it will be the largest ever presentation of black British stories performed in regional theatres. Black Men Walking is the first show to tour and has been selling out shows across the country and getting some great reviews:
‘Powerful, political, lyrical’ ★★★★★ The Stage
‘As poetic as it is potent’ ★★★★ What’s On Stage
‘Exhilarating and absorbing’ ★★★★ Manchester Theatre Awards
Dawn Walton is featured in an episode of Radio 4’s brilliant Behind the Scenes series which following Eclipse‘s Artistic Director in the making of Black Men Walking – Listen again here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09qdjvr
Black Men Walking is touring the UK now. Have a look at their website to find a date near you: https://eclipsetheatre.org.uk/whats-on/1364-black-men-walking
