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Home , Aldwych Theatre, Errol John, New End Theatre, Ramin Gray, Talawa Theatre Company, Vineeta Rishi

exploring the canon What makes a play a classic?

Wednesday 9 February 2011 exploring 11am – 5.30pm the canon is a day of performance readings looking beyond the usual suspects to widen the repertoire of British Theatre

The Artistic Directors from The Hub of Sustained Theatre want to look beyond the plays that are generally regarded as classics to champion plays that they think should be accorded canonical status .

Theatre directors; Mukul Ahmed, Katharine Armitage, Renu Arora, Topher Campbell, Tunde Euba, Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway, Trilby James, and Josephine Melville have worked closely with Artistic Directors from , ATC, Collective Artistes, Kali Theatre Company, , Tamasha, Tara and The Red Room to direct a series of extracts from diverse plays that are often neglected for revival in the national theatre landscape.

The plays: Moon on a Rainbow Shawl by , directed by Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway Borderline by Hanif Kureishi, directed by Mukul Ahmed Death and the King’s Horseman by , directed by Tunde Euba The House of Bilquis Bibi by Sudha Bhuchar, directed by Renu Arora To Rahtid by Sol B. River, directed by Topher Campbell Calcutta Kosher by Shelley Silas, directed by Trilby James Alterations by , directed by Josephine Melville Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White by Alice Childress, directed by Katharine Armitage exploring Wednesday 9 February 2011 the canon ATC presents: Moon on a Rainbow Shawl by Errol John

Directed by: Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway Artistic Director: Ramin Gray

Synopsis Holder, Dystin Johnson, James Earls Jones Ramin Gray and Cicely Tyson who have all starred in Errol John's Moon on a Rainbow Shawl is After directing, pervious productions. set in a back yard of a shantytown in Port- designing and of-Spain, Trinidad. It follows the life of 14 John’s celebration of culture, style, music acting in many people whose conflicting dreams and and the Creole language together with his plays at University, desires create a fusion of high anger, ability to balance humour with tragedy Ramin began frustration, disapproval and longing. The allows us to effortlessly immerse ourselves directing play won Play of the Year in in the world of the play. We instantly become professionally 1957 and was produced by the Royal Court one with the characters, as we laugh and cry in 1988 with a Theatre in 1958. with them. production of Moon on a Rainbow Shawl won the Observer John Marston’s Prize for best new playwright in 1987 and The Malcontent at Cast: became a part of the required reading the Latchmere Theatre in London. In 1990 Martina Laird - Sophia for schools in the West Indies. I think it he was awarded a Regional Theatre Young Shyko Amos - Rosa rightfully deserves to be considered by Director Scheme bursary which took him to all as classical play. the Liverpool Playhouse where initially he Tracey Saunders - Mavis directed classic texts such Franz Wedekind’s Elizabeth Alabi - Singer Spring Awakening and ’s Benjamin Cawley - Ephraim Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway A View From The Bridge . Bevan Vincent - Actor Simeilia Hodge- From 2000-09 Ramin was at the Royal Dallaway is a Finn Nainby-Luxmoore - Soldier Court Theatre, first as International freelance theatre Associate, then as Associate Director where Steven Burrell - Voice director, drama he directed over fifteen world or British lecturer and former premieres, including Push Up by Roland Why Moon on a Rainbow Shawl? Project Manager of Schimmelpfennig, Terrorism by the the Royal National Presnyakov Brothers, Ladybird by Vassily Errol John’s play Moon on a Rainbow Shawl Theatre’s Black Sigarev, Way To Heaven by Juan Mayorga, is not only a superbly well crafted play but British Play Archive. Woman and Scarecrow by Marina Carr, Just it allows us to experience a crucial time of Her stage directing a Bloke by David Watson and Scenes from both political and social change in Black credits include, Fit the Back of Beyond by Meredith Oakes. history. Set in Port of Spain, Trinidad in for Purpose by Catherine O’Shea (Pleasance the late 40s (two years post World War II), Internationally Ramin has directed two Theatre, 2011) Sucker Punch by Roy Moon reflects the change in mentality of the plays by , the German Williams and SW11 by Rachel De Lahay for people who would later influence Trinidad language premiere of Simon Stephens’ the Alfred Fagon Awards at the National independence and also those who would Harper Reagan at the Salzburg Festival in Theatre, Cottesloe Stage, The Ark by Omar become apart of the Windrush generation. a co-production with the Schauspielhaus El Khairy (Arcola Theatre), Seventeen, Hamburg as well as On the Shore of the Previously produced in London and Twenty-seven and Forty-Four by Catherine Wide World at the Volkstheater Wien internationally, Moon on a Rainbow Shawl O’Shea (Theatre 503), The Suit by Can where it won the Karl-Skraup Prize. In presents themes that are both universal Themba adapted for stage by Simeilia Moscow, Ramin’s production of Marius and timeless. Hodge-Dallaway ( Theatre), von Mayenburg’s The Ugly One is now As a Trinidadian born actor and playwright, Anniversary by Megan Ford (Old Vic part of the repertoire of Praktika Theatre. Theatre) and For Colored Girls Who Have Errol John wrote Moon on a Rainbow Shawl Future plans include Mark Ravenhill’s Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is to increase the number of larger roles for Shoot/Get Treasure/Repeat in Budapest Enuf by Ntozake Shange (Roehampton black actors. With no compromises made, and the Austrian premiere of ’s University of Surrey). Moon has a staggering cast size of fifteen Orphans at Schauspielhaus Wien. fully rounded complex characters, from Simeilia has been selected as one of the six every generation from baby to elderly who directors to take part in The Gate/ATC New are all equally loveable and enjoyable to Year’s Revolution project where she will www.atc-online.com watch, direct and play. It is therefore no adapt South African Novelist, Alex La Guma surprise that the play has attracted the story titled And a Threefold Cord . attention of Victor Romeo Evans, Ram John exploring Wednesday 9 February 2011 the canon Tara presents: Borderline by Hanif Kureishi

Directed by: Mukul Ahmed Artistic Director: Jatinder Verma

Synopsis Kureishi’s writing, ultimately, makes a case Jatinder Verma for Borderline to be considered part of the Set during the riots in Southall in 1981. The Jatinder Verma modern canon. It is witty, acutely observed, play is about conflicting desires of different (Artistic Director) irreverent and full of wonderful imagery, as generations of immigrants. Amina is in love Tara Arts marked its when Haroon describes why he has to get with Haroun who in turn is desperate to get 30th year in 2007 out of Southall: out of Southall. Amina's parents want her to with an acclaimed marry Farrukh from Pakistan and all this is ‘This place and the past, it’s like an octupus. production of The happening while racists are beating on the You drag one limb off you while another’s Tempest . The doors in Southall. curled itself round you.’ company tours To which he gets the typical Kureishi nationally and internationally, Cast: response, from Amina, his girl-friend: ‘You can still fuck me if you like. In the and co-producers Richard Rees - Amjad garden behind your father’s restaurant.’! with Tara Arts include the National Theatre. Jessica Manley - Susan & Yasmin Jatinder Verma Jatinder first worked at the National in Farah Merani - Banoo & Amina 1989, with his acclaimed version of Molière’s Tartuffe . This was followed by a production Mukul Ahmed of the Sanskrit classic, The Little Clay Cart Why Borderline? Mukul Ahmed and then Cyrano de Bergerac , in a version Hanif Kureishi's Borderline , written in 1981 graduated from by Ranjit Bolt. In 2009, he directed Hanif and first produced by Joint Stock Theatre London University Kureishi’s The Black Album , in a joint Group, remains one of a handful of post-war with an MFA in NT-Tara Arts production. plays that will certainly be regarded as theatre directing. In 2002 he produced Journey to the West canonical. In part, this is because of its Most recently he for Tara Arts, a trilogy of plays which traced setting: Southall has become one of the directed for Tara the story of Asian migration and settlement symbols of post-War Britain. It has entered Arts and the British in the West over the 20th century. Based on the modern mythology of the nation’s Council Julius oral testimonies given by three generations transformation, along with Brixton and Caesar which of Asians living and working in Britain today, Notting Hill. It is from these centres in toured to the trilogy toured cities in the UK as a major London that a Black and Asian presence Bangladesh and India in December 2010 day-long event. burst into vibrant life, changing the country and People’s Romeo for Tara Arts, which Author of The Story of Diwali , a book for and its image of itself. toured the UK in 2010. He curated the children, Jatinder has also published several Kureishi's play, written over the 6-week HotBed Season, which saw the re-opening articles exploring the nature of modern period of research and rehearsal that was of Tara Studio and as part of the season, cross-culturalism. His frequent work on Joint Stock's method, is not only a fabulous directed an adaptation of The Adventures Radio and TV includes the Sony Award document of a moment in our history, but of Baron Munchausen . Other directing winning Ashes to the Ganges and the 3-part also, 30 years on, a reminder of where credits include: Prints of Denmark (Tara serialisation (with Claudia Mayer) of The we’ve got to. As Kureishi reflects in an Studio/ Edinburgh Fringe); The Girl and the Mahabharata (both for BBC Radio 4). article on the play a few years ago: Oil Pipeline; The Rape of Lucrece; Sonata; Jatinder holds Honorary Doctorates ‘what had protected the community from The Demon’s Revenge (Tara Studio) and from York, Exeter and Leicester De racism and disintegration [has come] to Bitesize (Theatre 503). Previous assistant Montfort Universities. tyrannise it’ director credits include The Black Album He means, of course, faith. (Tara Arts & National Theatre), W hen the Lights Went Out; Marriage of Figaro; www.tara-arts.com The unifying ideology of the early 80s was Merchant of Venice and The Tempest (Tara socialism, with very little talk of religion. In Arts). Mukul Ahmed has worked with LIFT the current faith-dominated era, it is worth and widely in Community Theatre. reminding ourselves that other visions of how to live our lives remain potent – and who can deny the continuing urgency of Yasmin’s fine last line, when asked if the lights should be turned off, ‘No leave them on. So people know we’re here.’? exploring Wednesday 9 February 2011 the canon Collective Artistes present: Death and the King’s Horseman by Wole Soyinka

Directed by: Tunde Euba Artistic Director: Chuck Mike

The Lion & The Jewel

Synopsis scene with Jane Pilkings. Are not both the Tunde hopes to work his way through ship captain and the chieftain ‘Captains of the Shakespearean canon! Elesin Oba, the king’s horseman, has a single their Communities’? Why is one deed an destiny. When the king dies, he has to give act of honour and the other a tragic waste his own life to lead his king’s favourite horse of life? Chuck Mike and dog through the passage to the other Chuck Mike was world of the ancestors. Believing the suicide Theatre has the capacity to change born in Brooklyn, to be barbaric and illegal, the British perceptions and ideologies through New York and has colonial officer, Pilkings, intervenes with challenging the status quo. It provokes an lived in Nigeria for catastrophic results. Based on real events audience, making people ask themselves over 30 years. A in colonial Nigeria, Death and the King’s profound questions that quite often initiate practical disciple Horseman is a seminal play by Nobel action. Some may argue that Death and the of Wole Soyinka he Laureate Wole Soyinka. King’s Horseman is already included in our national canon. But, without this central is a distinguished scene, I question if audiences are properly actor, producer, Cast: challenged by the questions posed in this director and social activist. Producer Raphael Sowole - Olunde (Elesin’s son) moving tragedy. This scene particularly challenges us to consider what lessons of four festivals/seasons of theatre for Emily Wallis - Jane Pilkings (wife of the can be learned from our similarities and CAFTAN (Collective Artistes Festival of District Officer) what actions taken to promote social Theatre Arts Nigeria), he is founding cohesion within our immediate and Artistic Director of The Performance Studio Why Death and The King’s diverse communities. Workshop (Nigeria) and Collective Artistes (Nigeria and UK). His forte is “devising” Horseman? Theatre for Development. His work has Death and The King’s Horseman was set in Tunde Euba inhabited spaces ranging from villages 1944, written in 1975 and is probably even Tunde Euba is an across Southern, Western, and Eastern more relevant today than it ever was. As a actor/ director/ Africa to formal western theatres such as race, humans have sojourned in outer space writer/ facilitator The Kennedy Centre, Lincoln Centre (USA), and shrunk the world into a ‘global village’. who has enjoyed West Yorkshire Playhouse, The Royal Court However, in spite of these strides we are still a long and varied (UK), MUSON Centre, and The National increasingly involved in scrutinising the career in theatre. Theatre (Nigeria). His recent plays produced differences, rather than the similarities Starting out as an in Britain include The Meeting, The African between the various peoples that inhabit actor in Nigeria, Company Presents Richard III, The Lion & this ‘village’. where he trained, The Jewel (Barbican/Young Vic), It’s Just a In a recent production of the play, a one of the first Name, Trojan Women/Women of Owu significant part of the scene we are reading companies he adapted by Femi Osofisan, Sense of today, in which a comparison is made worked for was Collective Artistes. A regular Belonging devised by himself with the between a British captain going down with face in their theatre productions, Tunde Performance Studio Workshop, Things his ship and a Yoruba Chieftain sacrificing also featured in their devised shows for the Fall Apart (World Tour) and a Nigerian his life for the greater good, was omitted local community. It was this devised work adaptation of Yerma (UK Tour) both from the performance. In my view, this was that was the impetus for Tunde to direct the adapted by . Other directing a grievous omission. partially completed play Dawn of Decisions credits include; The Gods Are Not to Blame, A Raisin in the Sun, Fences, Home, The Soyinka is adamant that this play is not a at the University of Lagos Main Auditorium, where he also directed Morning yet on Crucible, Makbutu (after Macbeth), Tegonni tale of the clashing of cultures. And though (after Antigone) and Death and the Maiden . we might argue the opposite, I believe this Judgement Day and The Women in my Life . recent interpretation missed a very Tunde would later explore other “areas of significant point. The ‘cultural conflict’ artistic expression” and turn his hand to www.collectiveartistes.co.uk comes not so much from difference as it writing. His first play Gods & Bad Guys does from similarity. It is the unwillingness premiered at Oval House Theatre where of the colonial administration to recognise he later became Writer-In-Residence and this similarity that creates the hypocrisy wrote his next play, Brand New Me , which and ‘disrespect’ Olunde refers to in this was inspired by a one week workshop with young people. Over the coming years exploring Wednesday 9 February 2011 the canon Tamasha presents: The House of Bilquis Bibi by Sudha Bhuchar adapted from The House of Bernarda Alba by Federico García Lorca Directed by: Renu Arora Artistic Directors: Kristine Landon-Smith and Sudha Bhuchar

Synopsis Renu Arora Scandinavian theatre. Bilquis Bibi rules over her household with a Renu is a British- Kristine has also been a regular guest director rod of iron and a stifling love which cages Asian Director and at the Rose Bruford College of Speech and her five daughters. Like butterflies forever Actor. Her recent Drama and has taught at the National Institute cocooned, they long to shimmer and show directing credits of Dramatic Art, Sydney, Australia, the National their true colours. include: Eight , Kings School of Drama in India, Central School of Speech and Drama, London and L’Ecole When her husband dies suddenly, Bilquis Head, Tara Arts and

y tour; Aladdin , St Philippe Gaulier, Paris. agrees for eldest girl Abida to become a D

t James’ Piccadilly. engaged to her nephew Pappo. He brings r More recently, Kristine has directed The e

b She was a directing with him the hope of love and the o Trouble with Asian Men (, Soho R observer on The American dream. © Theatre and UK tours), A Fine Balance House of Bilquis ( Theatre and UK tour), Tamasha’s Bilquis turns a blind eye to the illicit nightly Bibi , (Tamasha) . first children’s play, Child of the Divide (Polka visits Pappo pays to his fiancée's balcony. Theatre, artsdepot and UK and US tours) and But what will happen when she realizes that Renu is soon to be one of the featured Tamasha’s first play with a youth cast, Lyrical more than one daughter is staying awake directors of the second Fragments season, MC (London tour). In October 2008, she for him? , in February. directed Sweet Cider , a new play by Tamasha Set in the Punjabi town of Jhang, it tells Developing Artist Emteaz Hussain, the new a personal yet subtly political story of Kristine Landon-Smith and musical Wuthering Heights (national tour March small town lives with global ties in present- Sudha Bhuchar - June 2009) and most recently The House of day Pakistan. Bilquis Bibi (national tour summer 2010). Performed in English with some Urdu Sudha Bhuchar and Punjabi. Sudha’s many acting credits include, Murder (BBC) by Abi Morgan, EastEnders (BBC), Cast: Doctors (BBC), (BBC) and Haroun and the Sea of Stories (Royal National Sudha Bhuchar - Bilquis Bibi Theatre), and she was a regular on the BBC Vineeta Rishi - Fida Radio drama Silver Street . Shalini Peiris - Amana Her writing credits for Tamasha include Balti Babita Pohoomull - Sumayyah Kings, Fourteen Songs, Two Weddings and A Youkti Patel - Aroosa Kristine Landon-Smith and Sudha Bhuchar Funeral, Strictly Dandia and A Fine Balance in are joint founders and Artistic Directors of which she also performed, in May 2006, her Rina Fatania - Bushra Tamasha. Kristine is a writer and director first children’s play: Child of the Divide (Polka Sheena Patel - Abida and Sudha is an actor and playwright. Theatre) and most recently her adaptation of Kristine Landon-Smith Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba - The House of BIlquis Bibi . Why Bilquis Bibi? Her 1996 production, East is East , was nominated for an Olivier award and her She writes regularly with Shaheen Khan and What inspired me was the absolute their many credits include three series of seamless transition from rural Spain to original production of Fourteen Songs, Two Weddings and A Funeral won the Barclays Girlies for BBC Radio 4 and Balti Kings (the modern day Pakistan. The domestic details stage play, as well as a six part series for Radio and cultural specifics of this new work took Theatre Award for Best New Musical. Her production, Strictly Dandia , was a sell-out 4). Their screenplay, The House Across the on a life of their own, and yet were still in Street , has been shown on BBC4 as part of a perfect synergy with the original. I was success at the Lyric Hammersmith in both 2004 and 2005. new writers initiative, and they have co-written heartened by how delicately these themes an episode of Doctors for the BBC. Sudha also Kristine’s freelance credits include directing of honour and oppression, which still exist co-wrote a short film Midnight Feast , which was with the , Bristol Old Vic, in rural Pakistani communities, were given a screened at the 11th Raindance Film Festival. voice. For me, this was such a rich and Palace Theatre Westcliff, Nitro, Yellow Earth meaningful piece of work, that I felt it was Theatre and more recently with the Royal In 2005 Kristine and Sudha Bhuchar won the imperative to be included in this growing Danish Theatre, where she directed the Asian Women of Achievement Award for Arts and exciting canon of work we're exploring Con:FUSIONS workshop in Autumn 2005, and Culture. today. Renu Arora, Director aimed at developing cultural diversity in www.tamasha.org.uk exploring Wednesday 9 February 2011 the canon The Red Room presents: To Rahtid by Sol B. River

Directed by: Topher Campbell Artistic Director: Topher Campbell

Synopsis Topher Campbell A lone voice screams from the depths of time. Topher Campbell is a director of film, television and Cast: theatre. He has Sharon Duncan Brewster - Mouth directed plays at numerous theatres Protazoa across the country Why To Rahtid? including West Sol River is a voice that many have not Yorkshire Playhouse, heard. Particularly in London. To Rahtid is Young Vic, London, that rare thing; an expression of a world Derby Playhouse, view held in the aching belly of a race in Contact Theatre, Manchester, Talawa pain. It speaks to all the unpalatable things Theatre, London and Leicester Haymarket. about the Black Diasporic experience. As Diversity Director/producer for BBC The things we would rather not remember Radio Drama he established the Norman or feel. Namely the brutal assault on our Beaton Fellowship. soul and consciousness that has been going In 2000 alongside artist/photographer on for centuries. It speaks to both the Ajamu he set up rukus! Federation Ltd unspeakable torture of the middle-passage (www.rukus.co.uk ). A company dedicated and its subsequent degradation, the horror to presenting the best in work by Black of systematic exclusion in western Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual, Transgender democracies and lastly and perhaps most (BLGBT) artists. rukus! Current projects tragically the way in which we turn on include the Play Mangina Monologues and ourselves. But it is the WAY it speaks and the UK’s first and only BLGBT Archive the WAY Sol uses language, so condensed now housed at the London Metropolitan and so packed with emotion, that elevates Archive. In 2008 rukus! received the beyond just a rant. Instead it becomes a Archive Landmark Award by London plea for the human race itself. Metropolitan Archive. Between 2006-08 Topher was a Programmer for the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival and is currently artistic director of The Red Room theatre and film company. For the Red Room he has directed four productions: Journeys to work ; the acclaimed multi-media production Unstated written by Fin Kennedy, Oikos and Protozoa for the Oikos Project. The Jellyfish Theatre part of the Oikos project has been nominated by What’s On Stage for the AKA Theatre Event of The Year.

www.theredroom.org.uk exploring Wednesday 9 February 2011 the canon Kali Theatre Company presents: Calcutta Kosher by Shelley Silas

Directed by: Trilby James Artistic Director: Janet Steel

Synopsis Trilby James Janet Steel In a crumbling Calcutta home, two sisters Trilby James Janet has been are forced to come to terms with their graduated from Artistic Director mother’s secret history. RADA in 1990. of Kali Theatre Her theatre Company since includes Eurydice 2003. She began Cast: (Chichester); The her career as an Harvey Virdi – Esther Winter’s Tale, actress. Her theatre Shelley King – Sylvie Coriolanus (ESC, work includes: Theatre Cinders, A Colder and World Tour); Climate (Royal Why Calcutta Kosher? The Merchant of Court Theatre), This engaging play by award winning writer Venice, Shakespeare’s Lovers (ESC); The Blood Wedding (Half Moon), Romeo and Shelley Silas examines how family and Madras House, Orpheus (Lyric Hammersmith) Juliet (Sherman Theatre & Albany Empire), culture, time and distance, influence our Keyboard Skills (); Hindle Oedipus Rex (Tara Arts). Television credits sense of who we are. Set in the Indian Wakes (Royal Exchange Manchester); include: An English Christmas, The Bride, Jewish community, it explores conflicts Cigarettes and Chocolate, Bye Bye Blues, Gems, The Refuge and Shalom Salaam. between old and new, east and west, Selling Out (Stephen Joseph Theatre Janet began directing in 1988 as assistant tradition and truth. If the past is another Scarborough); Mrs Warren’s Profession to Tessa Schneideman at Loose Change country, where is home? The play is (Theatr Clwyd); As You Like It (Nottingham Theatre, producing UK premiers at BAC by beautifully structured with strong female Playhouse); The Tempest (Derby Playhouse); Spanish authors, where she directed her characters who have the power to both Three Sisters, Absent Friends, A Midsummer first full-length piece, White Biting Dog . move and surprise an audience. The play Night’s Dream (Wolsey Ipswich). Trilby Her directing credits include: Behzti (The has a timeless quality whist being very directed Rabbit at RADA in 2007 and Birmingham Rep); April in Paris, Bretevski much in the present and the themes Simon Stephen’s Motortown in 2009 Street, A Hard Rain, Top Girls (Northampton explored appeal to a diverse audience. and Pornography in 2010. Royal Theatre); Exodus (Millennium It was a joy to produce. Since 2000, Trilby has worked as a freelance Mysteries at Coventry Belgrade); Brecht’s director at ALRA, Arts Educational, Central Antigone, The Mother, Orpheus Descending, School of Speech and Drama, East 15 and An Ideal Husband, Romeo & Juliet, The Mountview. Her productions include As You Knockey and Serious Money (Rose Bruford Like It, The Tempest, The Winter’s Tale, A College). For Kali Theatre she has directed Midsummer Night’s Dream, , Hay Sock ’em with Honey by Bapsi Sidhwa, Fever, Babies, The Orchestra, The Thickness Calcutta Kosher by Shelley Silas, Chaos and of Skin, Rabbit, Happy Families, A Warwick- Paper Thin by Azma Dar, Deadeye by Amber shire Testimony, Women of Troy, The Last Lone, Zameen by Satinder Kaur Chohan, Night of Ballyhoo and DNA . A Thin Red Line by Sonali Bhattacharyya, Another Paradis e by Sayan Kent and, Behna by Sonia Likhari.

www.kalitheatre.co.uk exploring Wednesday 9 February 2011 the canon Talawa Theatre Company presents: Alterations by Michael Abbensetts

Directed by: Josephine Melville Artistic Director: Patricia Cumper

Synopsis Josephine Melville Patricia Cumper Alterations by Michael Abbensetts was first Josephine is a Patricia Cumper produced at the in 1978 dancer, actress, has been writing and then again at Theatre Royal Stratford singer, producer, for the theatre for East in 1986. The central character, Walker writer, director, nearly thirty years. Holt, is a man determined to succeed, and archivist and Her plays have success to him means owning his own mother. been produced tailor’s shop on Carnaby Street. As the play She has had an throughout the progresses everything that Walker holds extremely varied Caribbean, in dear is sacrificed to his dream of ownership: career. Her transition Canada, the US he no longer sees his wife and child, his to include acting and the UK. Her sometimes girlfriend is angry with him. He was seamless and radio work includes even alienates his most loyal friend and she has many theatre credits to her name. a RIMA winning drama series, a fifteen only employee. By the time he looks around As a founder member and Director of The part serialization of Small Island, a Sony for someone to celebrate his achievements BiBi Crew, Josephine wrote, produced and Silver award winning adaptation of The with him, he has driven everyone away. performed comedy shows, including On a Color Purple and an original five part Level , which was staged in London and dramatization of letters from the Black Cultural Archives. Cast: toured nationally. The BiBi Crew were also invited to perform at The BAM Majestic She is currently Artistic Director and CEO Victor Romero Evans – Walker Holt Theatre in Brooklyn, New York. of Talawa Theatre Company and Trustee of Chris Tummings – Buster Gibbs As a co-founder member of Aarawak Moon English Touring Theatre and Standing on Anthony Ekundayo Lennon – Horace Moore Productions, Josephine co-produced the Shoulders of Giants Theatre Company. numerous productions of their renowned Blaggers and Junior Blaggers shows and www.talawa.com Why Alterations? several productions of The Lunar Lounge. By turns Alterations is funny and angry, Josephine also co-wrote and produced the and often politically incorrect. Alterations play Shoot 2 Win , which premiered at The deserves to be part of the canon of British Theatre Royal Stratford East and achieved theatre because of the universality of the an eight-week National Middle Scale tour, to questions it explores: what price success? critical acclaim. In 2010 Shoot 2 Win was Wave after wave of immigrants come to performed on Broadway and in Brooklyn London looking to make a new life and New York. chase their dreams. Is ownership the only Josephine was Assistant to the producer way of really belonging? At the end of the Jan Ryan, on the West End Run of The play, Walker shouts out the window ‘I’ve Harder They Come in 2008 and Assistant beaten you, you bastards’. Is it a triumphal Director on The Harder They Come National exclamation or a hollow declaration to an Tour 2010. She was Assistant Director on uncaring world? Five Guys Named Moe which ran at the Edinburgh Festival and The Theatre Royal Stratford East to amazing reviews. Jo went on to be Associate Director on Red Riding Hood at The Theatre Royal Stratford East 2010/11 Christmas pantomime. She co-founded Eye 2 Eye Productions in 2001, which also has an archival and exhibition unit. The award winning Posters & Poetry Exhibition , is a unique collection celebrating Black British Artistes over the last 100 years. Josephine is also on the board of The Theatre Royal Stratford East. exploring Wednesday 9 February 2011 the canon Arcola Theatre presents: Wedding Band: A Love/ Hate Story in Black and White by Alice Childress

Directed by: Katharine Armitage Artistic Director: Mehmet Ergen

Synopsis reveals how inescapable it is. Wedding Band Mehmet Ergen is a complicated and beautiful portrayal of Set in South Carolina in the summer of Mehmet has been love, as well as the hate that threatens to 1918, Wedding Band is the story of Julia Artistic Director overwhelm it. Despite it being steeped in and Herman and the impossibility of their of Arcola Theatre the history of the time it is completely marriage. Despite their ten year relationship since founding it resonant and relevant today but has been Julia, who is black, and Herman, who is in 2000. Previously utterly overlooked, especially in this white, still live in a state of danger and he was Artistic country. Alice Childress grew up in Harlem resentment. The play explores how the Director of the and became the first black woman to receive assumptions, prejudices and history of both Southwark on Obie award, but felt this accolade (i.e. the black and white communities disrupt Playhouse from being the first) only proved how overlooked and threaten the genuine love that Julia 1993 to 1999 which black writing was. We feel this is a hugely and Herman feel for each other. Julia is he co-founded. significant and powerful play which should surrounded by women used to abusive or Mehmet is also Artistic Director of Arcola be part of the canon. It has the potential to absent husbands and to the constant threat Istanbul which he founded in 2008. be interpreted over and over again and to of the white community’s racism. Herman’s create an enriching and potent experience He has won a variety of awards for his family experience greater freedom and for many different audiences. work including: the Time Out Award for prosperity but struggle to fit in; they are Outstanding Achievement, the Peter Brook working class and paranoid about being Empty Space Award (twice), a Time Out thought German. However both the white Katharine Armitage Award for Best Fringe Production, the Angela and black communities are united in their Katharine recently Carter Award and the Equity Award for Best shame and disapproval of Julia and graduated from Studio Theatre. Directing for the Arcola Herman’s relationship whose plans to the University of includes: Release the Beat by J. Johnson/ K. escape to the north are tainted as the Manchester. She Lewkowicz, Plebeians Rehearse the Uprising prejudices that surround them begin to previously worked by Gunter Grass, I Can Get It For You Wholsale infect their love. In a final turbulent scene as assistant by J. Wiedman/Harold Rome, Jitterbug by between the two their anger and hate director on The , Chasing the Moment by Jack towards each other turns back towards love Painter and The Shepherd and Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People . but Herman dies as his family wait outside Cradle Will Rock Mehmet directs extensively abroad in Israel, to take his body away from the woman who (both Arcola). Ireland, Canada and Turkey. He is founder is wife to him in everything except law. Directing credits of Yeni Kusak Theatre in Istanbul and runs include: The Pillowman (University of Turkey’s only new writing programme Oyun Cast: Manchester), The Love of the Nightingale Yaz with the . (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), As You Like It, Ayesha Antoine - Julia The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream Michael Anthony Brown - Herman (Blue Hutch Theatre Company) and for www.arcolatheatre.com radio The Hearing and Happy New Year Why Wedding Band? (Fuse FM). We chose this play because, ironically, it doesn’t deal with the issues involved in black and white. This is not a simple didactic tale of the facts behind interracial marriage but a portrait of two communities of people each full of their own personal mix of love and hate. Julia and Herman’s relationship is so powerful because it is a constant confusing overlap of passion and resentment, their personal lives and those of the community become so interlaced that there is no clear path for them. The play explores prejudice in all its forms and in a way that