That Black Theatre Podcast: Black Women in the 1930s, Una Marson & Delia Jarrett-Macauley

This week we are looking at the 1930s and the first black woman playwright in the Black Plays Archive, the legendary Una Marson, and how she flourished in 1930s Britain. A trailblazer in every sense, Una Marson was a Jamaican poet, playwright, writer, activist. She was also the first black woman to be hired by the BBC.  

We interview the brilliant academic and novelist, Delia Jarrett-Macauley, about Una Marson’s legacy and two of her plays, ‘At What a Price’ and ‘Pocomania’. Una’s plays talk about religion, gender politics, and racism at a time where black women were rarely given the opportunity to do so. We ask what we might learn from Una’s plays if they were revived today.  

Black Plays Archive Website: https://www.blackplaysarchive.org.uk/ 

Email archive@nationaltheatre.org.uk 

National Theatre on social media @nationaltheatre  

Delia Jarrett-Macauley http://www.deliajarrettmacauley.com/ 

References:
'Pocomania and London's Calling' by Una Marson
'Una Marson' by British Library. https://www.bl.uk/people/una-marson 
'The Life of Una Marson 1905-1965' by Delia Jarrett-Macauley
'Staying Power: The history of black people in Britain' by Peter Fryer
'Black and Asian Theatre in Britain' by Colin Chambers