Tales of the Tricycle Theatre

Tales of the Tricycle Theatreprovides an inside look at the forty year history of the North London theatre which has achieved reknown with its staging of Black and Irish plays and documentary theatre. Drawing extensively on archival research and interviews with actors, playwrights, directors, designers and board members, the book both documents and celebrates the work of a theatre that embodies the true meaning of community and which has made a significant contribution to contemporary political theatre. Beginning with an overview of the Tricycle's history from its humble origins as a lunchtime-theatre group to the end of Nicholas Kent's tenureship as artistic director in 2011, it proceeds to explore the productions of Afro-Caribbean, African-American and black British plays, and Irish plays. In examining the Tricycle's homegrown political work the author draws on material from a number of tribunal players, as well as Nicolas Kent and his assistant directors, discussing research, development, character building, audience response, and personal experiences during production. It includes the production of Guantanamo: 'Honor Bound to Defend Freedom'(2004), which has since been performed worldwide and the play cycle about Afghanistan, The Great Game, which toured in the U.S. in 2010, and which subsequently the Tricycle was invited to present for the Pentagon in 2011.

Terry Stoller, a freelance arts writer, has a Ph.D. in theatre from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and has taught at Baruch College and the City College Center for Worker Education. She was formerly a singer and an actress.

IntroductionChapter 1: A Brief Ride Through the Tricycle's HistoryChapter 2: Black Theatre at the TricycleChapter 3: Irish Theatre at the TricycleChapter 4: The Verbatim PlaysChapter 5: Dressing-Room Stories and EncoresAppendix A: Interviewees Cited and Their Work at the Tricycle Theatre Appendix B: Production ChronologyNotes Bibliography