Remembrance AnActof

Sancho: Simon Godwin by Co-directed Paterson Joseph by performed Conceived, written, and

LOCATION: BAM RUN TIME: DATES: GATHERING: #BAMNextWave # Sancho Free forsame-dayticketholders BAM Fishman Space Thu, Dec17,Post-show Doerries Led byBryan With Paterson Joseph Sancho 1hr 10min(nointermission) BAM Fisher (Fishman Space) DEC 20at3pm DEC 16—19at7:30pm

Executive Producer Joseph V. Melillo, President Katy Clark, Vice ChairmanoftheBoard Adam E.Max, Vice ChairmanoftheBoard William I.Campbell, Chairman oftheBoard Alan H. Fishman, AcademyBrooklyn ofMusic The Shubert Foundation,The Shubert Inc. The SHSFoundation The Morris andAlmaSchapiroFund Donald R. MullenJr. Foundation Trust The Francena T. Harrison provided by for theateratBAM Major support Season Sponsor: BAM Fisher Sancho: An Act of Remembrance A co-production of Pemberley Productions in association with the Oxford Playhouse

Writer and Performer The majority of the music PATERSON JOSEPH heard this evening was composed by Charles Ignatius Sancho. Co-Director SIMON GODWIN Recorded Ensemble BUFFY NORTH, Violin Set Design PHIL BROWN, Viola MICHAEL VALE REBECCA JORDAN, Cello BEN PARK, Bass and Harpsichord Music Arrangement & Sound Design BEN PARK Sancho: An Act of Remembrance was Lighting Design originally commissioned by the Oxford LUCRECIA BRICEÑO Playhouse in 2011. This production of Sancho: An Act of Remembrance had its Costume Design first performance at the Oxford Playhouse LINDA HAYSMAN on Thursday, September 17, 2015.

Associate Lighting Designer This production of Sancho: An Act of ANSHUMAN BHATIA Remembrance is supported by the Arts Council of England under its Grants for Oxford Playhouse Production Manager the Arts Scheme. The producers wish to TIM BOYD acknowledge the help and support of the October Gallery, London. Production Associate PAMELA SALLING

Assistant Director ANNA GIRVAN The actors are appearing with the permission of Actors’ Equity Association. Design Assistant The American stage manager is a SARAH JUNE MILLS member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Producer American Stage Manager TIM SMITH R. MICHAEL BLANCO

Photo: Paterson Joseph by Robert Day ABOUT Second, Sancho was a “victim” of the solidarity between the white working class British gentry’s love of “exotica.” He was and their African brothers and sisters—the Sancho: An Act of black, smart, humorous; he appealed former often rescuing and hiding slaves to those who knew that Africans were who had run away from cruel masters. A Remembrance not merely the “beasts of burden” as the wonderful picture: struggling brother aiding slave traders portrayed them. Third, he struggling brother, a historical fact the likes Author’s Note was an entertainer in a time of supreme of today’s right wing UK Independence

entertainers; his best friends were the Party seem to have cynically forgotten. I had never heard of the subject of my play satirical, shaggy-dog tale author, Laurence until I discovered Thomas Gainsborough’s Sterne and the greatest actor of the 18th Some of the stories I’ve come across are portrait of the extraordinary Charles century, David Garrick. so domestic and modern they make me Ignatius Sancho in a book by historian smile and shudder simultaneously. When Gretchen Gerzina, Black England. The most My final, pleasant shock of enlightenment Sancho’s rather sketchy, and frankly racist, remarkable thing about this discovery is not was reading about the “black frolics” and biographer, Joseph Jekyll, wrote that that most people hadn’t a clue about such dances organized by the countless black Sancho could have been an actor if not an amazing pioneer of multi-ethnic Britain, servants, freemen, and sailors all over for a speech impediment, it sounded like but that I, a Black Briton, had no clue London’s parks. A community of souls who something an agent might say to a black either. Truth is, I had presumed that the all knew the dangers for Africans in the actor today after they’d auditioned for the presence of black people in Britain began world beyond the UK, they trod a careful new Mr. Darcy: “Great audition, they loved in 1948 with the 249 passengers (and path within these Isles to maintain both you…but they’re going another way…” The one stowaway), on board the ship HMT their freedom, and that of their oftentimes fact that Sancho’s black skin had no part Empire Windrush, when it docked at Tilbury white spouses and mixed-heritage children. to play in his stymied acting career seems from Montego Bay, Jamaica. Any previous They may have been seen, but they were pretty unlikely to me. But perhaps it truly dealings blacks had with the UK would seldom heard. Still, for them, being ignored was the only obstacle, and, in fact, there have been remote, I had imagined—African meant being relatively safe from attack. were, as in the courts of Henry VIII and his slavery, Caribbean plantations, etc. But was Like their white, working-class friends and daughter, Elizabeth I, black musicians and that right? neighbours, they were shut out of political performers whose color was of little or no life because you had to be a property owner consequence to the majority of Britons in In the early 2000’s, I began a lengthy to register to vote. And very rare, maybe their day. research period—hours, days, months, non-existent, was that working class citizen years—trawling the archives for details who could afford to buy property. Through these years of research my ideas of about Black Britain. Most books I tackled British life and Black British contributions to were pretty dry. Heavy on facts, light It may be hard for some of us today to it have been revolutionized. What I thought on story. But with Gerzina’s book, I imagine a world where one is treated as a I knew about multi-ethnic Britain before the discovered the joy of research. Her stories second class citizen, with little or no say arrival in 1948 of 492 West Indian Blacks took me much further back than I could in the running of one’s own country. In on the SS Windrush and the subsequent have imagined. My knowledge of Black England before the early 20th century this controversy over assimilation and what I Britain was transformed by my three- was true for all women and the majority of now know has, for me, changed forever the fold discoveries about the man baptized men. Getting one’s vote registered would meaning of the words, Black British. I now in 1729 by the Bishop of Cartagena, become a burning goal for the working write them confidently, but with awareness Colombia: Charles Ignatius. men and women of the UK for much of of their resonance on every form that begs the 18th and 19th centuries and beyond. the question: Who do you think you are? First, Sancho’s life was no Roots, nor was And Sancho would have been amongst that My humble hope is that this play will it a British version of 12 Years a Slave. disenfranchised and dissatisfied throng. All contribute a little to an understanding of our Charles Ignatius’ journey was odder, this is a sobering reminder, if ever one was shared British history. Whoever we are. more quirkily eccentric, and subtler than needed, to never abstain from voting! the American models of slave life I’d One of the most heartening details Paterson Joseph been used to seeing and reading about. uncovered in my studies was the natural September 2, 2015

Photo: Paterson Joseph by Robert Day Two Gentlemen of Verona for the RSC. Theatre, Royal Festival Hall, Queen Between 2011 and 2013 he was Elizabeth Hall, the Sage, Gateshead, LUCRECIA BRICEÑO associate director at the Royal Court, Battersea Arts Centre, Spymonkey, Lighting Designer where he directed seven world pre- Kneehigh Theatre Company, and Told Lucrecia Briceño is a Peruvian artist Who’s mieres including Routes, If You Don’t By An Idiot, with whom he is an As- currently based in Brooklyn. Much Let Us Dream, NSFW, The Witness, sociate Idiot. of her work has been in association Goodbye to All That, The Acid Test, with artists developing innovative and Wanderlust. Vale’s work has been nominated for and original pieces. Her designs have Who two Olivier Awards, an Irish Times been presented at such venues as Between 2009 and 2011 Godwin was theater award, a Manchester Evening Arena Stage in Washington, DC, the PATERSON JOSEPH associate director of Bristol Old Vic, News theater award, a Charrington Metropolitan Museum of Art, Dallas Author and Performer where he directed The Little Mermaid, Fringe First Award, and two Off-West Theater Center, Berlind Theatre, La Krapp’s Last Tape, A Kind of Alaska, End theater awards. MaMa E.T.C., Culture Project, Pregones Paterson Joseph has worked regularly Faith Healer, and Far Away. at the National Theatre in London Theatre, Intar, HERE Arts Center, Soho (Whale, Saint Joan, Royal Hunt for BEN PARK Rep, Ohio Theatre, Irondale Center, the Sun, The Emperor Jones, Elmina’s MICHAEL VALE Music Arrangement & Sound Design and ArtsEmerson in Boston. Interna- Kitchen) and the RSC (Julius Caesar Set Design tionally her work has been seen in Ven- [BAM 2013], Don Juan, Troilus and Ben Park has an extensive track record ezuela, Peru, Turkey, Scotland, Korea, Cressida, Love’s Labours Lost, King Michael Vale has designed the sets and as a producer, collaborator, director, Colombia, and Norway. Lear, The Pretenders), as well as the costumes for more than 200 theater performer, and educator. He originally Royal Exchange, Gate, Almeida, and and opera productions both in the UK studied at the Royal College of Music This year, Briceño’s design work for Young Vic theaters. Television includes and abroad including those he has and subsequently, having gained a Crime and Punishment was part of the BBC’s The Hollow Crown (PBS), The directed.Companies he has worked degree in zoology at University College Venezuelan presentation for the Prague Leftovers (HBO), and Danny Boyle’s with include the Royal Shakespeare London, he then set about becoming Quadrennial. Her design work has Babylon. Joseph is a season regular Company, National Theatre, Royal a session musician working with such been nominated for several awards. on Law and Order UK and Peep Show, Opera House, English National Opera, bands as Soul 2 Soul, The Escape recently receiving a Bel Geddes grant and he has also appeared in Doctor Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Opera Club, Lamb, and Diesel Park West. for the upcoming production of The Who, Hustle, and No.1 Ladies Detec- North, English Touring Opera, De He has written and performed for Desire of The Astronaut. She has been tive Agency (all BBC). In 2015 Joseph Vlaamse Opera (Antwerp), Los Angeles film, television, and theater, notably a guest artist/lecturer at NYU, Princ- has been seen co-starring with Christo- Opera, New Zealand International Arts the multi-award winning 70 Hill Lane eton University, Hunter College, and pher Ecclestone in Safe House, a major Festival, Galaxy Theatre (Tokyo), War- with Improbable Theatre; as associate the Pontificia Universidad Católica del four-part drama for ITV and is appear- saw Globe Theatre Company, Munich artist at the Royal Opera House with Perú. ing on Sky and NBC this autumn in Biennalle, Lyric Hammersmith, Royal long time collaborator, choreographer/ You, Me and the Apocalypse. Sancho Court, Almeida Theatre, Soho Theatre, director Fin Walker; the triple BAFTA LINDA HAYSMAN marks Joseph’s first play as a writer. Manchester Royal Exchange, Birming- winning, Oscar-nominated S4C pro- Costume Designer ham Rep, West Yorkshire Playhouse, duction of The Canterbury Tales, and Sheffield Crucible, Northampton the new British comedy film, Downhill- Linda Haysman trained as a theater SIMON GODWIN Theatre Royal, Liverpool Playhouse, the-movie. Co-Director Nottingham Playhouse, Bristol Old designer at Central School of Art and Design. She specializes now in Vic, Plymouth Theatre Royal, Edin- Park is currently collaborating as asso- costume design and has worked at the Simon Godwin’s recent work includes burgh Royal Lyceum, Bolton Octagon, ciate director/composer with Fin Walker BBC covering a whole variety of shows Strange Interlude, Man and Super- Oldham Coliseum, Manchester Library on a new Macbeth, to be premiered at from period dramas and plays to popu- man, and The Beaux’ Stratagem for Theatre, Salisbury Playhouse, Colches- the Norwich Festival in 2016. The National Theatre, as well as The ter Mercury Theatre, English Touring lar sit-coms. Her credits include the feature films Delirium, The Black Prince, Sus, Niagara Motel, Urban the Courtyard; A Little Nonsense at Ghost Story, and The Runner. Edinburgh Fringe and Brighton Fringe; OXFORD PLAYHOUSE Television credits include Not Even God Stuff at the Bike Shed, Exeter; and Producer is Wise Enough, Small Metal Jacket, Debris and Contractions at the Alma Tales From Hollywood, Prisoners In Tavern (also Trafalgar Studios 2). As Oxford Playhouse and its Burton Taylor Time, Out Of the Blue, Scene Dramas, assistant director, works include Rich- Studio present and produce a wide A Few Short Journeys of the Heart, ard II at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre; range of live performance. The program Low Level Panic, The Crouches, In The Red Lion at the National Theatre; includes the best of British and interna- Exile, Once Upon a Time in the North, Happy Days at the Young Vic; The tional drama, family shows, contem- May to December, Woodcock, Lenny Lion King at Bristol, Manchester, and porary dance and music, student and Henry Gets Wild, East Enders, Scoop, Birmingham UK tour venues; A Voyage amateur shows, comedy, lectures, and The Story of Tracey Beaker, Mega- ‘Round My Father and The Lady in poetry. The Playhouse has been pre- maths, Hero to Zero, John Daniel, and the Van at Salisbury Playhouse; The senting and creating all kinds of per- The Last African Flying Boat. Good Companions at Bristol Old Vic formance since 1938. It produces and Studio; and Glengarry Glen Ross at the tours its own shows, has the acclaimed Ustinov, Bath Theatre Royal. Shared Experience as its resident ANSHUMAN BHATIA company, mentors emerging artists Associate Lighting Designer through the Evolve Artists in Residence PEMBERLEY PRODUCTIONS program, and presents Playhouse Plays Anshuman Bhatia’s designs for dance, Producer Out, an ongoing series of off-site events opera, and theater have been seen at which take surprising theater to unex- Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Soho Founded by Tim Smith, Pemberley pected places across the county. The Rep, Arena Stage in Washington, DC, Productions is a producing company Learning Team works with over 14,000 HERE Arts Center, New York Theater dedicated to bringing European drama people each year through post-show Workshop, Lincoln Center Director’s to North America and North American discussions, workshops, work experi- Lab, Infinity Theater Company, the drama to Europe. Its previous projects ence, three resident young people’s Juilliard School, University of Denver, include a European Tour of the Public theater companies, and holiday work- New School for Drama, and Columbia Theater’s Apple Family Plays written shops. The Playhouse also produces University. His assistant and associ- and directed by Richard Nelson and an annual pantomime. Its 2014—15’s ate designs have been seen at the an Irish Tour of the American Play- Beauty And The Beast was seen by New York Philharmonic, Central City ers Theatre’s production of James 36,000 people, and 2015—16 will Opera in Colorado, Washington Ballet, DeVita’s In Acting Shakespeare. In see more OP productions on the main Anchorage Opera, Roundabout Theater, addition to producing the UK and US stage including Sancho and an excit- Guggenheim Museum, Opera Theater tours of Sancho, in the 2015—16 ing new production of The Tempest in of Saint Louis, and BAM. He holds an season Pemberley Productions will also October. Visit oxfordplayhouse.com for MFA from NYU, and more information produce a nine-week North American more information. can be found at bhatiadesign.com tour of the Filter Theatre (in association with the Royal Shakespeare Company) Oxford Playhouse is thrilled to be co- production of Twelfth Night. Prior to producing this new run of Sancho: An ANNA GIRVAN founding Pemberley Productions Tim Act of Remembrance. Assistant Director Smith worked as the general manager and consulting producer for Druid The- Anna Girvan trained at Bristol Old Vic atre Company in Ireland and as a tour and is a Jerwood assistant director manager for the Royal Shakespeare 2014—15. As a director, her work in Company. theater includes Welcome, Friend at

Photo: Paterson Joseph by Robert Day Photo: Paterson Joseph by Robert Day