Soca News attended the Black British Theatre Awards (BBTAs) on Sunday 29 October 2023, at the National Theatre’s Lyttelton Theatre on the Southbank. Established in 2019, the BBTAs are the UK’s first awards to celebrate the excellence and influence of Black performers and creatives within the UK theatre industry.
Television presenter, radio broadcaster, and journalist Brenda Emmanus OBE, who is of Saint Lucian heritage, is one of three founding patrons who support and champion activities for BBTAs. When Soca News asked her what the role means to her, she said, “The Black British Theatre Awards have done the most extraordinary job in showcasing and celebrating a broad range of phenomenal, diverse creative talent working in theatre.
The tenacity and resilience required to build the BBTAs to this level cannot be underestimated, nor can the impact of this work.
I am so proud to be a Patron and have no doubt that the awards’ popularity, significance, and success will continue, too—as will the numbers and quality of Black talent there will be to celebrate!”
For full details of the 2023 BBTAs winners, visit the Black British Theatre Awards website.
