'The price of Mahogany' - Performing Activism: Re-making History

About this event

‘The Price of Mahogany’ is a new piece of writing, still in progress. It opens up a debate on our connections to the past through race and it raises questions about our own attitudes towards injustices today. The play explores how the slave trade fitted into 18th century English Law.

This three-part event will be based on exploring the themes presented in the play text through a movement workshop, a talk and a staged reading of the play.

Workshop - 11:30 - 12:30

Movement Workshop by Changing Perspectives (Eva Aymami-Rene & Naz Yeni)

This will be a session for the community expressing the themes from the play. The final choreography created will have the option of being incorporated into the staged reading. The result will be an immersive experience for some of the audience members. (Everyday clothes will be sufficient to take part.)

Talk - 13.00 - 14.00

Introductory Lecture by Dr Sean Lang

An illustrated talk on the slave trade and the law, examining how the slave trade fitted into English law in the 18th century.

Performance - 14.30 - 15.30

Performance: 'The Price of Mahogany' based on a true story (written by Sean Lang & directed by Naz Yeni)

A script-in-hand performance of this new play by the local playwright about the slave trade and the law. When the Lord Chancellor buys a beautiful mahogany table from the celebrated Mr Chippendale, he finds it contains the spirit of an enslaved African who died felling the tree that made it. The play looks at how the slave trade could be legally tolerated in a country proud of its free traditions. As we see the characters close their eyes to the injustice in front of them, do we also see ourselves?

Venue

Please note that the venue for this event is Covent Garden Drama Studio, postcode CB1 2HR not our main campus.

Event presented as part of the Cambridge Festival.