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Mustapha Matura

1939-2019

Born: Trinidad and Tobago, 1939

Biography

Mustapha Matura (17 December 1939 – 29 October 2019), born Noel Mathura, was an award-winning Trinidadian playwright living in London. Characterised by critic Michael Billington as “a pioneering black playwright who opened the doors for his successors”, Matura was the first British-based dramatist of colour to have a play in London’s West End, with Play Mas in 1974 which won him the Evening Standard’s ‘Most Promising Playwright’ Award. In 1978, he co-founded the Black Theatre Co-operative with Charlie Hanson. Matura was revered for his witty and often political plays set in his home country, including Playboy of the West Indies, Three Sisters (after Chekov) and Rum and Coca-Cola. He was a prolific creator of things: screenplays, short stories, poems, sketches, paintings and songs, all inspired by his eclectic life story and curiosity about people and life. famous works of his include Welcome Home Jacko, The Coup, Nice, Meetings among other notable works.

Publications

Playboy of the West Indies

Playboy of the West Indies

Year: 2010

Publisher: Oberon Modern Plays

Three Sisters by A.P. Chekov and Mustapha Matura

Three Sisters by A.P. Chekov and Mustapha Matura

Year: 2006

Publisher: Oberon Books

Six Plays: As Time Goes By; Play Mas; Independence; Welcome Home Jacko; Nice; Meetings

Six Plays: As Time Goes By; Play Mas; Independence; Welcome Home Jacko; Nice; Meetings

Year: 1992

Publisher: Methuen Drama

The Coup

The Coup

Year: 1991

Publisher: Methuen Drama

Play Mas; Independence; Meetings

Play Mas; Independence; Meetings

Year: 1982

Publisher: Methuen Publishing

Nice, Rum an' Coca Cola and Welcome Home Jacko : Three Plays by Mustapha Matura

Nice, Rum an' Coca Cola and Welcome Home Jacko : Three Plays by Mustapha Matura

Year: 1980

Publisher: Methuen New Theatre Script

Featured Content

That Black Theatre Podcast

Listen to hosts Nadine and Nadia discuss the theatre of the 1970s, exploring the works of Mustapha Matura.

Mustapha Matura discuss his career

Watch Mustapha Matura (1939-2019) discuss his work and lengthy career as a playwright.

Mustapha Matura on his play The Coup

Watch Mustapha Matura discuss his 1991 play, The Coup , which was first performed in the Cottesloe (Dorfman) at the National Theatre.

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