Venue: Chapter One Bookshop

Time: 12.15 – 13.20

Recent reports show that neither commercial nor subsidised theatres are diverse or inclusive to the extent they should be. Theatre companies such Eclipse, Talawa and Tamasha are working to change that. But is the nature of theatre in the UK such that it excludes anyone who isn’t white and male? Is the solution to take our theatre outside conventional theatre buildings, or is it to take over those buildings?

Javaad Alipoor is a mixed race writer, director, spoken word artist and theatre maker from Bradford

Yolanda Mercy is an Actor, Playwright and Experienced Youth Theatre Director

Benji Reid is an award-winning visual theatre director

Dawn Walton began her directing career at the Royal Court Theatre and is artistic director of Eclipse