Five great plays … by contemporary Black British playwrights

Rockets and Blue Lights by Winsome Pinnock

Cast: 4f, 6m doubling (or 10f 14m plus extras)

Synopsis: On the set of a new film about Victorian artist JMW Turner, young actress Lou is haunted by an unresolved history. We then cross to 1840s London, where Lucy and Thomas are trying to come to terms with the meaning of freedom. Moving between past and present, Winsome Pinnock's astonishing play retells British history through the prism of the slave trade. Fusing fact with fiction, and the powerfully personal with the fiercely political, Rockets and Blue Lights asks who owns our past, and who has the right to tell its stories?

Why it's great: Winner of the Alfred Fagon Award, this epic, acclaimed play by the author of Leave Taking – a set-text option for English Literature GCSE – offers ‘a swirling journey through the light and shade of black history’ (Guardian) and a large cast filled with rich performance opportunities.

The Meaning of Zong by Giles Terera

Cast: 4-5f, 5-18m

Synopsis: Over 200 years ago, Olaudah Equiano changed the world. After reading reports of the British ship Zong, fromwhich 132 enslaved Africans were thrown overboard, he joins forces with anti-slavery campaigner Granville Sharp and together they set in motion events which will go on to galvanise the abolition movement. But Olaudah's impassioned fight for justice goes beyond the courtroom. Having bought his own freedom, he now faces a personal battle to rediscover his past and accept his true self.

Why it's great: Weaving together the many lives affected by these events across the globe, The Meaning of Zong is both a depiction of a shameful true story from British history, and a timely response to the social upheaval the world has witnessed in recent years – celebrating the power of individual action to drive huge societal change. An audio version of the play was also broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

God's Property by Arinzé Kene

Cast: 1f, 3m

Synopsis: 1982. London is restless, gripped by spiralling unemployment and inner-city riots. Ska beats dominate the airwaves and in a flat in Deptford, two mixed-race brothers are unexpectedly reunited. When Chima returns home, he finds that his 16-year-old brother Onochie has become a skinhead who no longer thinks of himself as black. Chima has been blamed for the death of a white girl and the hostile world outside won't rest until it delivers its rough justice. But will Onochie side with the community he's tried so hard to belong to, or stand by the brother he barely knows?

Why it's great: This is a compelling, witty drama about race, brotherhood and the weight of past mistakes, by award-winning playwright Arinzé Kene. As Metro said in its review of the premiere production at The Albany in London, it ‘captures the illusions and disarming naivety of youth and isn't frightened to tackle big themes such as social disharmony and identity confusion head-on’.

ear for eye by debbie tucker green

Cast: 8f, 8m doubling (very large cast possible)

Synopsis: Patience is running out: times have changed and progress is no longer enough. Showing snapshots of lives and experiences of protests, this play compares violence with non-violence, and direct action with demonstrations. ear for eye follows characters navigating their way through society today.

Why it's great: This ambitious, epic play is by one of the most distinctive and revered voices in present-day UK theatre. It is both formally inventive and sharply relevant, addressing racial injustice and the contemporary Black experience. A filmed version of the play, written and directed by debbie tucker green, was broadcast on BBC Two in October 2021.

Red Pitch by Tyrell Williams

Cast: 3m

Synopsis: Three lifelong friends Omz, Bilal and Joey are playing football – just as they always have. Beyond their football pitch, local shops are closing, old flats are being demolished as new ones are shooting up. Some residents struggle to stay while others rush to leave. When your local football pitch has been a home from home – a place where you've laughed, fought and forged friendships – what happens when it's under threat?

Why it's great: A coming-of-age story about what it means to belong somewhere, this fast-paced and sharp-edged play – with three brilliant roles for young male performers – tells a powerful story about gentrification, regeneration and the impact of this relentless change on local communities. Red Pitch won Tyrell Williams Best Writer at The Stage Debut Awards 2022. Find a review of this script online or in issue 101 of D&T.

All of these plays are currently available at a 30 per cent discount in Nick Hern Books’ Brilliant Black Writers Celebration – head to nickhernbooks.co.uk/celebrating-black-writers and use code BHM30 when ordering before 31 October 2022