Munya Chawawa has unveiled a new community-led project, Black Boys Theatre Club, designed to give young men access to a world of theatre that often feels closed off to them.
The comedian said the initiative was inspired by his own experience of discovering theatre later in life and realising how underrepresented he felt in that space.
Developed over the past year, Black Boys Theatre Club (BBTC) aims to break down the cultural, financial and emotional barriers that have historically made theatre feel off-limits.
It invites 15 and 16-year-old boys to see major productions, meet actors and creatives and enjoy behind-the-scenes access to some of London’s leading theatres; from the National Theatre to Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre to the Bush Theatre.
After each theatre trip, Chawawa and the group sit down over Nando’s, a partner on the project, to chat about the play, its themes, and what it meant to them.
Speaking about the project, the satirist said he hopes the project will inspire a generation of young black men to see the arts as a space where they belong — and where their stories can take centre stage.
“Black men consistently dazzle us on stage and on screen, but for young black boys - the bridge between that initial creative spark and its supernova potential isn’t always easy or encouraged,” he shared.
“Black Boys Theatre Club will act as the starting point for that journey - a judgement-free, laughter-filled introduction to the world of theatre and creative arts, because trust me, it is a wonderful world.”
Since its soft launch, the initiative has worked with several London schools and thus far, over 120 boys across London have participated in the project.
To mark the launch, Chawawa wrote and produced a short film shot at Wyndham’s Theatre, featuring Jordan Stephens, Kedar Williams-Stirling, Mohamed Elsandel, Ariyon Bakare and Top Boy’s Araloyin Oshunremi.
In recent years, a number of creatives have worked to make theatre — and London’s West End in particular, more accessible and inclusive.
In 2024, American playwright Jeremy O Harris’s West End production of Slave Play, starring Kit Harrington and Olivia Washington, introduced two performances exclusively for “Black-identifying audiences,” giving them the chance to experience the play “free from the white gaze.”
The idea was first pioneered in New York during the 2019 Broadway run of Slave Play, which examines race, identity and sexuality in modern America.
Other theatre directors following suit include Jamie Lloyd, who regularly offers £25 tickets to under-30s, key workers and those receiving government benefits for productions like Evita and Much Ado About Nothing, in an effort to open the industry to wider audiences.
