How do we make theatre based on archival materials? How does it differ from writing history? And what is at stake when the subject matter is the lives and struggles of enslaved people? Historian Diana Paton (University of Edinburgh) and playwright and actor Catherine Bisset discuss these questions. They will reflect on their experience of working together on a new play, Apprentice, about the final years of slavery in Jamaica, as well as on Diana's work with Jamaican-American performance artist Jodie Lyn-Key-Chow on her piece 'Living Her-Stories of Sugar', and Catherine's play Placeholder, about theatre in colonial Saint Domingue.
Annually Learning and Programmes in Museums & Galleries Edinburgh works in partnership with CRER (The Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights) to host Edinburgh based lectures to mark Black History Month.
CRER has coordinated a uniquely Scottish Black History Month during October since 2001. This encompasses the history of African, Caribbean and Asian people in this country; people who often have a direct link with Scotland through slavery, colonialism and migration. Black History Month focuses on people whose sacrifices, contributions and achievements against a backdrop of racism, inequality and injustice are often forgotten about.
CRER strive to work with a range of partners from across the community, voluntary and public sectors and has helped to collaboratively create a Black History Month Programme that includes an exciting range of events from talks, concerts, workshops, film screenings, exhibitions and more.
Staging Caribbean History and the History of Slavery