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 an’ 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.
Productions
Playboy of the West Indies
Year: 1984
Staged in: Oxford Playhouse Company
Publications
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
Year: 1992
Publisher: Methuen Drama
Play Mas; Independence; Meetings
Year: 1982
Publisher: Methuen Publishing
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.