Song of a Bluefoot Man by James Berry. The play tells the story of a Jamaican traveller and the people he meets, the things he sees, and his dreams. His story is told in a series of encounters, some of which are hurtful, some funny, and others a source of wonder. The traveller's struggles are brought to life against a backdrop of the great events occured in the last decades, including the vision of Nelson Mandela and the courage of Martin Luther King. The reggae beat and poetry of the Caribbean Islands are used to tell this tale. Director: Sue Pomeroy and Joan-Ann Maynard. Cast: Joanne Campbell, Carol Cleveland, Treva Etienne, Haydn Forde, James Moriarty, Joe Vera. Performed on National Tour (29/09/1993 – 12/11/1993).
Leonora’s Dance by Zindika (Zindikas Macheol). Leonora always wanted to be a dancer, and her dreams are fulfilled when she joins the ballet. Here she experiences prejudice and alienation as in the Black Swan/White Swan syndrome. Leonora's life spirals out of control suffering from hypochondria, agoraphobia, and finally a mental breakdown. The spirit of Medusa embodies her negativity, which is aggravated by problems caused by her lodgers and a difficult relationship with her mother. Director: Joan-Ann Maynard. Cast: Doreene Blackstock, Judy Hepburn, Glenna Forster-Jones, Toshie Ogura, Ellen Thomas. Performed at Cockpit Theatre, London (09/02/1993 –06/03/1993) and on national tour (10/03/1993 –01/05/1993).
An Aftertaste of Sherry by Allison West. The production takes the form of two one-act plays reflecting on the lives and times of four Black women. The first play, Casualties, studies the lifelong friendship of Thelma and Flora, two elderly Black women. In the second play, Lesson Plans, Terry and Jean show each other sisterhood and support in the face of divorce and newly found freedom. Director: Joan-Ann Maynard. Cast: Angela Wynter and Stacey Zuckerman. Performed at Battersea Arts Centre, London (06/10/1992–25/10/1992) and on national tour.
Viva Detroit by Derek Walcott. This is a comedy and love story tracing the romance between Pat and Sonny. Pat is a successful white American photographgrapher on holiday in St.Lucia where she begins a love affair with Sonny a young St.Lucian gigolo. As Sonny prepares to seduce tourists on the next plane in, Pat tries to convince him that their relationship is special. Director: Malcolm Frederick. Cast: Norman Beaton, Marlena Mackey, Steve Toussaint. Performed at Tricycle Theatre (11/02/1992 – 07/03/1992) and on National tour (31/03/1992 –13/06/1992).
Splendid Mummer (The Life of Ira Aldridge) by Lonne Elder III. The play traces the life of celebrated Black actor Ira Aldridge from his youth in New York to his eventual rise to stardom in Europe with references to the many honours he gained with his performances of Macbeth, King Lear, and Othello from the mid 1830s to the mid 1860s. Director: Anton Phillips. Cast: Malcolm Frederick. Performed at The Kings Head, London (07/10/1991- 03/11/1991) and on Tour.
Meetings by Mustapha Matura. Hugh and Jean are a middle class, successful, Trinidadian couple leading very busy lifestyles. Hugh becomes aware of something missing in his life at the same time as Jean becomes involved in a promotional campaign for a brand of American cigarettes. Their union is problematised by the woman's professional success. Director: Malcolm Frederick. Cast: Lenny Algernon-Edwards, Judith Jacob, Josephine Melville. Performed at Tricycle Theatre (March – April 1991) and on Tour.
Paper and Stone by Zindikas Macheol. A play with music that follows three Black women on a journey through denial, innocence, experience and finally self-recognition. Brenda craves independence from her domineering mother and is persuaded by her friend Juliet to emancipate herself from her influence. This being done, she is then confronted by the liberal rules of the outside world. Director: Pam Fraser-Solomon. Cast: Catherine Coffey, Susan Lycett, Marcia Rose. Performed at Lyric Theatre, London (14/051990 –02/06/1990) and on Tour.
65 With A Bullet, a musical by Black Theatre Co-operative & Michael Ellis. This is a powerful father-son drama and surrealistic journey through the history of Black people. Alphonse is a bitter 65 year old man who is visited by his conscience, taking him back through his life to reveal how the years of bitterness and frustration have taken their toll. Although Alphonse is briefly reunited with his wayward son Trevor, they part un-reconciled. Director: Malcolm Frederick. Cast: Victor Romero Evans, Marcia Rose, Kenrick Rowe, Alan Weeks, Carlton White, Sylvester Williams. Performed at Battersea Arts Centre (26/071989 –13/10/1989) and on Tour.
Adam’s Dream by Allison West. Surreal comedy set in Harlem telling the story of Adam, an African American lawyer, who loses his mind and thinks he's the King of Harlem. He visits an unethical white psychotherapist who prescribes mind bending drugs in order to see if Adam might have the ultimate dream - the one which the biblical Adam had. The play constantly shifts between a state of waking and one of dreaming, with the effect of not knowing if the characters are where they appear to be. Director: Malcolm Frederick. Cast: Lachele Carl, Lee Duroshola, Chris Gilbert, Wade Jackman, Kenneth Jay, Ian Poitier and Riba Akabusi. Performed on a National tour and at Battersea Arts Centre, London (10/10/1989-28/05/1989).
Temporary Rupture by Michael Ellis. Directed by Paulette Randall. The play is a fast and funny romantic comedy in which “a wayward lover returns to his childhood sweetheart five years after deserting her at the altar, to find a self-assured, successful businesswoman - who hides a passionate desire for sweet revenge." (1996)
Slipping Into Darkness by Jamal Ali. A rich, poetic monologue delivered as a rap, turning a harsh eye on the underside of modern Britain. Director: Malcolm Frederick. Cast: Calvin Simpson. Performed at the Gate Theatre Club (03/05/1988 – 21/05/1988) and on national tour (09/02/1988 – 21/05/1988).
The Cocoa Party by Ruth Dunlap Bartlett. A bittersweet comedy which questions the issue of paternity. Laura and Dennis are two happy children when their estranged father Kenneth arrives unexpectedly to Dennis' birthday party. The play deals with the question of the father's right to his son's loyalty and affection despite his absence during the formative years.. Director: Malcolm Frederick. Cast: Marcia Johnson, Marsha Miller, Valentine Nonyela, Robert Phillips, William Vanderpuye. Performed at The Drill Hall (06/10/1987 – 24/10/1987).
