This week we're continuing our discussion of the 2000s. We talk about how theatre can address the 'state of the nation',  through the work of the brilliant playwright, Roy Williams. We were lucky enough to have an interview with Roy, who brilliantly discusses his plays 'Sing Yer Hearts Out for the Lads', 'Death of England' and 'Death of England: Delroy'.  We discuss the connections between nationalism, football, race, class, and Brexit, which Roy's plays tackle with wit, humour and realism.
Born in London, Roy Williams is an award-winning playwright. He was the first winner of the Alfred Fagon Award for his play, 'Starstruck'. His third play for the Royal Court, 'Fallout', won the 2003 South Bank Show Arts Council Decibel Award.  He is a prolific writer, whose most recent play with Clint Dyer, 'Death of England: Delroy', discusses what it means to be a Black British man in 2020, in the wake of political and social upheaval.

Thanks so much to Roy for chatting with us for this episode!

Email archive@nationaltheatre.org.uk 

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References:

Roy Williams (2006) Sing Yer Hearts Out for the Lads. London: Methuen Drama.

Roy Williams and Clint Dyer (2020) Death of England. London: Methuen Drama.

Roy Williams and Clint Dyer (2020) Death of England: Delroy. London: Methuen Drama.

Akala (2019) Natives: Race & Class in the Ruins of Empire. London: Two Roads.

Mary F. Brewer, Lynette Goddard and Deirdre Osborne (2015) Modern and Contemporary Black British Drama. Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.

Colin Chambers (2011) Black and Asian Theatre in Britain: A History. London & New York: Routledge.

Lynette Goddard (2015) Contemporary Black British Playwrights: Margins to Mainstream. Hampshire, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Dan Rebellato (ed.) (2013) Modern British Playwriting: 2000-2009. London: Bloomsbury.