Narratives of Time is a theatre anthology celebrating six decades of British Bangladeshi drama, storytelling, and community arts in East London. Developed by Dr Canan Salih with four emerging writers—Syed Tasmia Tahia, Asma Anjum, Heeva Raza, and Shohidur Rahman—the production traces the history of how theatre became a vital means for communities to survive, resist, gather, and imagine new futures.
The anthology comprises six interconnected pieces spanning from the 1960s to 2013: The Phone Box explores a young Bengali woman's moment of freedom upon arrival in Britain; We Survive by Making Art follows four Bangladeshi artists in 1977 East London as they create their first theatrical work; Dancing Through Shame depicts a girl discovering her passion for dance despite family expectations; The Banglo Saxons examines how language and accent shape identity; The Ambush captures a playful encounter between young lovers and watchful aunties; and The Archive Calls Back records the stories of previous generations, showing how the past continues to speak through the present.
Performed in English and Bangla, this production draws on interviews with artists, organisers, performers, writers, and community figures who shaped generations of cultural life. Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
