England’s Arts Council has denied a funding request for a new dedicated black theatre called Talawa, setting off a storm of criticism from the company. But not everyone is sure the council’s decision will hurt black theatre in London. “While nobody in the black theatre community… is glad to see the project fail, and all express concern about Talawa’s now uncertain future, many see this as an opportunity to reassess the needs of black theatre in Britain when its profile is undergoing significant changes.”