Lights, camera, activism

'How do we get our young people to see the versions of themselves in the future?’ This is the question behind everything the team at Theatre Peckham does, explains associate director malakaï sargeant, whether within its building or through its development programmes.

This Autumn, the question has been answered through sargeant's Young, Gifted & Black season, which, they explain, ‘is about belonging more than anything else, through everything that we've gone through this year as a global Black community. So, you know, police brutality and corruption, disproportionate effects of cissexism, climate change, and COVID-19.’

‘I wanted to curate a series of events that sparked joy and catalysed conversation and discussion that is impactful, meaningful and goes somewhere, and doesn't just stay in an echo chamber.’ They go on, ‘I don't believe that theatre necessarily changes people, but people change people. So, this season kind of explores the stories and the diversity of stories of Blackness, being clear that this is about Blackness in and among the landscape of whiteness.