Enter, Tragic Mulatta
By Amy Townsend-Lowcock
The Tragic Mulatto Myth is a little-known racial stereotype about people with mixed ethnicity. The stereotype portrays mixed-race people as tragic figures who cannot fit into racialised society and suffer greatly from their own feelings of self-hatred.
Tragic Mulatta characters first appeared in abolitionist literature in stories where free mixed-race women were sold into slavery, endured heartbreak and died victims of white male violence.
Although the Tragic Mulatta Myth has evolved over time, traces of it still appear in today’s media. This performance invites you to challenge and rethink that story.
Enter, TRAGIC MULATTA is a multimedia performance exploring the Tragic Mulatto Myth. Directed by Amy Townsend-Lowcock, mixed-race women and non-binary people from across Greater Manchester will take the stage to share original stories that challenge racial stereotypes.
With live video-feeds and projections of Tragic Mulatta characters through the ages, this performance invites audiences to question common ideas about mixed heritage and imagine new futures for mixed-race characters.
The performance will be held in:
Manchester Art Gallery
Wed 26 Nov 2025
6.10pm
Enter, TRAGIC MULATTA is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and LOWRY as part of their Artist Development Programme.
About Amy Townsend-Lowcock
Amy is a multimedia artist and researcher with an interest in memory, identity, and (post)colonial histories. Inspired by documentary techniques, historical archiving processes, and installation art, she creates live performances that invite audiences to re-imagine British identity. Her performance work includes ‘My Fruits’ (HOME Manchester, 2023) and ‘Handle with Care’ (Contact Theatre, 2022).
Amy was one of the approximately 70 artists and creatives from across the UK, nominated by Lowry on the British Council’s 2024 Venice Biennale Fellowship Programme.