How do theatre and performance shape the ways societies remember histories of slavery, resistance and Black political struggle? Join us for a seminar exploring the enduring legacy of Zumbi dos Palmares in Brazilian theatre and culture.

Zumbi dos Palmares (c.1655–1695), leader of one of the largest communities of formerly enslaved Africans in colonial Brazil, remains one of the most enduring symbols of Black resistance in Brazilian history. Yet his significance has been shaped not only by historical accounts but also by cultural and artistic representations.

Drawing on doctoral research, this seminar explores how modern and contemporary Brazilian theatre has imagined, contested and reinterpreted the figure of Zumbi. By examining a range of theatrical works, it considers how playwrights and theatre-makers have used Zumbi to engage with broader questions of history, memory, identity and political struggle.

The discussion highlights the ways in which theatre functions as a space for rethinking the meanings of Black resistance, nationhood and political agency across different historical moments. Particular attention will be given to Zumbi: Flame of Resistance, directed by Márcio Meirelles and staged in London in 1995 through a collaboration between the Black Theatre Co-operative, Theatre Royal Stratford East and the London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT). The production offers a compelling case study of the transnational circulation of Black Brazilian histories and the continuing reinvention of Zumbi's political and cultural legacy.

Speaker:

Guilherme Diniz, Visiting PhD Researcher, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil

At King's, he is supervised jointly by Dr Felipe Botelho Correa, who will introduce him, and Professor Ananya Kabir, who will give a brief response to his presentation.