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| A night to remember for young
black performers |
Stars of West End’s first black
British musical suprise kids with suprise visit
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Some of the performers from various schools in Camden
Director Clint Dyer, left, and writer Paul Sirrett
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THE first black British musical to grace the West End came to
Belsize Park on Friday – and the one-off performance had some
very special guests.
Arriving unannounced, the writer, the director and two of the stars
of the Big Life, offered their support to a cast of 16-25 year olds
picked from Camden schools.
A loud gasp went out when the two actors, Antonio Kemi-Coker and
Yvette Rochester-Duncan, announced themselves to the star-struck
young performers.
But the greatest gasp came from Kentish Town resident Ms Coker,
who plays Zulieka in the Apollo Theatre production, when the actors
rehearsed the song, Motherland.
She said: “That was so, so beautiful. I’ve got goosebumps
all over.”
The two Big Life stars could not stay for Friday’s performance
because they had to perform at the Apollo, but they presented the
actors with a present and made a brief good-luck speech before leaving.
The Big Life, which transports Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour
Lost to 1950s London, tells a story of disillusionment of young
black hopefuls who came to England to find a new life.
Director Clint Dyer said he had been inspired by his mother’s
experience aboard The Windrush, the ship that brought the first
Caribbean immigrants to Britain in 1948.
Writer Paul Sirrett said audiences had been affected by the London
bombings, but gradually people were starting to come back. Through
a low cost summer school scheme, organised by the Weekend Arts College
(WAC), in the Hampstead Town Hall centre, managed to obtain exclusive
rights to the script.
Coordinator Rachel Bennett teamed up with her son Ben Bennett, a
professional actor, and Nixon Rosenbert who helped organised the
music. Reggae artist Joy Mack coached the actor’s voices.
Mrs Bennett said: “It was fantastic – what a huge success.
The hall was packed out and it was amazing that the people from
the real Big Life turned up to give their support.”
• WAC will give another performance on Friday at 2pm at
the Shaw Theatre, Euston. For tickets contact WAC on 020 7692 5888. |
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