Documenting the performing arts

The Theatre & Performance Archives are the national collection of performing arts documentation, recording the creative process of professional performance in the UK. They cover a wide range of performing arts including stage, film, dance, opera, circus, music and comedy. We collect these archives to record the lives of people and companies connected to the performing arts.

Here you can see the archives of the Talawa and Spare Tyre theatre companies. They provide primary sources for researchers and inspiration to performers, writers and directors.

Written by: Sabrina Offord, Archivist
Published: May 2025

Collecting Stories

Reference Code
TTC/6/1/4/3
Title/Description
Photograph of Juanita Waterman in 'The Importance of Being Earnest'.
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1989
Materials/Techniques
Black and white promotional photograph of Juanita Waterman in 'The Importance of Being Earnest'.
Item information
Reference Code
TTC/7/2/42
Title/Description
Video recording of 'The Colored Museum'
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
19th October 2011
Materials/Techniques
Video recording on DVD of production of 'The Colored Museum.' Matinee performance at the Victoria & Albert Museum on 19th October 2011.
Item information
Reference Code
TTC/7/3/2
Title/Description
Video recording of Blackgrounds oral history project interview with Earl Cameron
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1997
Materials/Techniques
Colour recording on VHS cassette of Blackgrounds oral history project interview with Earl Cameron, 34 minutes with letterbox.
Item information
Reference Code
TTC/7/3/3
Title/Description
Video recording of Blackgrounds oral history project interview with Pearl Connor
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1997
Materials/Techniques
Colour recording on VHS cassette of Blackgrounds oral history project interview with Pearl Connor, 39 minutes.
Item information
Reference Code
TTC/7/3/8
Title/Description
Video recordings of Blackstage oral history project interview with Michael Abbensetts
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
2002
Materials/Techniques
Colour recordings on 2 VHS cassettes of Blackstage oral history project interview with Michael Abbensetts, 31 minutes with subtitles and good sound.
Item information
Reference Code
TTC/7/1/2
Title/Description
Audio recordings for 'The Importance of Being Earnest'
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1989
Materials/Techniques
Two cassette tapes for 'The Importance of Being Earnest'.
Item information
Reference Code
TTC/7/1/3
Title/Description
Audio recordings for 'The Gods are not to Blame'
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1989
Materials/Techniques
Five cassette tapes for 'The Gods are not to Blame'.
Item information
Reference Code
TTC/7/1/4
Title/Description
Audio recordings for 'Dragon Can't Dance'
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1990
Materials/Techniques
Seven cassette tapes for 'Dragon Can't Dance'.
Item information
Reference Code
TTC/7/1/11
Title/Description
Audio recordings for 'The Lion'
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1993
Materials/Techniques
Seven cassette tapes and one compact disc for 'The Lion'.
Item information
Reference Code
TTC/6/1/15/67
Title/Description
Photograph of Yvonne Brewster in 'King Lear' rehearsals.
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1994
Materials/Techniques
Black and White photograph of Yvonne Brewster at 'King Lear' London rehearsal.
Item information
Reference Code
TTC/8/3/3/54
Title/Description
Programme for 'Anansi and the Magic Mirror'
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
2009
Materials/Techniques
Colour programme for production of 'Anansi and the Magic Mirror' at the Hackney Empire, written by Geoff Aymer and directed by Paul J. Medford.
Item information
Reference Code
TTC/8/3/3/25
Title/Description
Programme for 'Zebra Crossing, A season of Black performance at the Young Vic Studio'
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1996
Materials/Techniques
Programme for 'Zebra Crossing, A season of Black performance at the Young Vic Studio' featuring 'a diverse choice of new work, performance, poetry, music and exclusive masterclasses from the new wave of Black British creators and performers' at the Young Vic Studio from 19 February to 30 March 1996. Programme has insert of programme details for performance of 'A Doll's House' and other parts of the season.
Item information
Reference Code
TTC/8/3/3/60
Title/Description
Programme for '#I Am England' Talawa Young People's Theatre 2011
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
25-27 Aug 2011
Materials/Techniques
2 copies of programme for TYPT:2011 production '# I Am England' written by The Company and directed by Nazli Tabatabai-Khatambakhsh at the Lilian Baylis Studio at Sadler's Wells.
Item information
Reference Code
TTC/6/1/15/63
Title/Description
Photograph of Ben Thomas and two actors[?] in 'King Lear' rehearsals.
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1994
Materials/Techniques
Black and White photograph of Ben Thomas and two actors[?] at 'King Lear' London rehearsal.
Item information
Reference Code
THM/528/8/3
Title/Description
Spare Times Newsletter, Issue Nine, July 2005
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
2005
Item information
Reference Code
THM/528/2/54
Title/Description
Flyer for Move with the Mood, performed by Spare Tyre Theatre Company at St Paul's Church …
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
2004
Item information
Reference Code
THM/528/5/11
Title/Description
T-shirt for Spare Tyre Theatre Company's Pink Project, with name and date on front
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1998
Item information
Reference Code
THM/528/5/1
Title/Description
Sweater advertising Spare Tyre Theatre Company, with ice cream logo on back
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
undated
Item information
Reference Code
THM/528/5/2
Title/Description
T-shirt advertising Spare Tyre Theatre Company, with logo on front and back, and website …
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
Ca. 2000s
Item information
Reference Code
THM/528/6/1
Title/Description
The Spare Tyre Songbook (London 1986)
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
1986
Item information
Reference Code
THM/528/2/153
Title/Description
Flyer for Fists and Fingernails, performed by Upfront Theatre Company in conjunction with …
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
Ca. 1987
Item information
Reference Code
THM/528/4/102
Title/Description
Colour photographs and contact sheets of Your Place, performed by Spare Tyre Theatre …
Archive Department
Theatre and Performance
Date
2003
Materials/Techniques
Colour photographs and contact sheets of Your Place, performed by Spare Tyre Theatre Company. Photographs show performers on and off stage, 2003.
Item information