ABSTRACT
The chapter provides an innovative theoretical and methodological framework for the critical analysis of contemporary plays written by Black British playwrights. The first part starts with a review of the traditional usage of the concept of diaspora in order to evaluate its possible relevance for the analysis of the corpus of plays. It then focuses on more recent theorisations which better accommodate the thematic and stylistic influences that continue to shape contemporary performances, looking at the theoretical connections between the concepts of diaspora and solidarity. The second part of the chapter presents a critical evaluation of theories which have evolved from the sociological usage of the concept of diaspora to more recent articulations of political solidarity as a response to violence and oppression. To this end, I will draw on Black radical feminism, intersectionality and affect theories, which will be used to examine the affective connectivities that take place at the level of performance, which, in turn, will offer further theoretical insights that help to refine the concept of solidarity as proposed in this book. The last section of this chapter situates this book as part of a recent line of research into theatre as an ethical encounter within the broader field of theatre studies.
