Celebrating Black Voices in Theatre: The Impact of ‘Slave Play’ at Noël Coward Theater

Community and Culture at the Noël Coward Theater

Elaine Grant felt a wave of satisfaction as she observed the vibrant scene outside the Noël Coward Theater in London on a lively Wednesday night. Unlike the usual ambiance at the West End, the crowd was predominantly composed of Black faces, all laughing and engaging in spirited conversations as they formed a line that wound its way around the block, eagerly awaiting a performance of Jeremy O. Harris’s provocative play, Slave Play.

Grant, who has dedicated her career to the arts, took the initiative to organize a group of over 100 attendees, primarily Black women, to experience the show together. She noted, “Many of the individuals I work with don’t frequently visit the theater,” emphasizing the importance of creating a space where they could safely explore a range of emotions without the constraints of external judgment.

This gathering was a special “Black Out” performance—a concept that Harris introduced during the play’s Broadway debut in 2019. This initiative invites Black audience members to attend specific performances, enabling them to immerse themselves in the art and engage in meaningful discussions away from the often scrutinizing white gaze. Joaquina Kalukango, an actress from the show’s New York run, reflected on this experience in 2020, stating that during those performances, she felt a connection with an audience that truly understood the story and the depths of the characters’ experiences.

In London, the atmosphere on the theater steps was filled with positivity, and there was little concern regarding the backlash that arose when the announcement of this Slave Play transfer—including two specific Black Out performances—was made in February. The announcement sparked criticism from some British commentators and became entangled in the broader discourse surrounding race within British cultural institutions. Even the office of the then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak interjected, stating that “restricting audiences on the basis of race would be wrong and divisive.”

In response to the widespread criticism circulating on social media, Harris addressed what he described as a “moral panic” among certain segments of the British populace, advocating for the importance of these curated experiences.