Alton Kumalo

Born in South Africa, Alton Kumalo was a playwright, director and actor. In 1972 he founded Temba Theatre company with fellow actor Oscar James. Kumalo and James had wanted to create a platform for writers from Britain and South Africa and Temba’s work was initially issue-based and placed particular emphasis upon racism. The Company staged work by Mustapha Matura, Amiri Baraka, Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona among others, and they were the first black British theatre company to receive an Arts Council subsidy.