A story about the legacy of Black classical music in Britain and the life of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, heartbreaking and uplifting in equal measure.

The colour of the sonic
Black notes
voice meeting voice

piercing through time

At a prestigious music college, where most of her classmates are white, wealthy, and obliviously privileged, Song struggles to relate to the traditional syllabus.

When she discovers the composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, she learns of the legacy of Black classical music in Britain. His captivating scores inspire her, but the negative voices in her mind still threaten to drown them out.

As Samuel's story unfolds alongside Song's own, Recognition asks how we can acknowledge and celebrate those who came before.

Amanda Wilkin's beautiful play, co-created with Rachael Nanyonjo and produced by Talawa Theatre Company, premiered at Talawa Studios in Fairfield Halls, London, in June 2023, as part of This is Croydon, London Borough of Culture.

A story about the legacy of Black classical music in Britain and the life of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, heartbreaking and uplifting in equal measure.

About the Author
Amanda is a playwright and actress from London. In 2020 she won the Verity Bargate Award for her play Shedding a Skin. The play was shortlisted for the Susan Smith Blackburn Award 2022, and she is now developing it for television. Her play Recognition was Talawa's headline show as part of Croydon's City of Culture 2023. And I Dreamt I Was Drowning was selected for Theatertreffen Stuckemarkt to have a reading as part of the festival in Germany in May 2022, and a new work will be staged at the Schauspiel Leipzig as part of the 2023/2024 season. Amanda is also under commission to Audible as part of their Emerging Playwrights Programme and to Headlong Theatre Company. She is also writing her first feature for Joy Productions / Film 4.


Book Information
ISBN 9780571386475
Author Amanda Wilkin
Format Paperback
Page Count 120
Imprint Faber & Faber
Publisher Faber & Faber
Weight(grams) 120g
Dimensions(mm) 10mm * 197mm * 128mm