Sixty years of forgotten treasures

Britain is to get a Black Theatre Archive. Playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah relives his role in its creation

In Britain, my work is almost exclusively compared to that of Roy Williams. This has always enraged me. Roy is a fine, prolific writer; but even if we were to be compared on the most obvious grounds – race – we still write out of two very different black traditions. I am terribly influenced by the African-American canon and stand on the shoulders of playwrights such as Edgar White, whereas Roy’s work has echoes of Caryl Phillips. And Roy, I would argue, takes inspiration from sources closer to home. What amazed me was that US critics seemed to get that. Although they weren’t always complimentary, to me that was secondary: what was important was that here was intelligent, detailed analysis and context.

Sixty years of forgotten treasures | Kwame Kwei-Armah | Stage | The Guardian

If it weren’t for CARIFESTA, we would have never met Henk, nor would we have been exposed to his passion and his eloquence on the subject of the role of the arts in Caribbean society.

Most of the reports are in Dutch, so it’s hard to get specific information on his passing. However, he suffered a stroke in a few years ago, and when I met him again in Guyana (I first met him in Trinidad in 2004) it was clear that he was not well.

Henk was one of the architects of the New CARIFESTA Festival model (a model our country seems determined to reject). He will be remembered for its success when at last it is tested for real. He died too soon; he was only 61.

Walk good, Henk.

Turnout was lower than expected, but the voices were pretty good — some exciting new people turned up!

Musical Director Adrian Archer and Director Philip A. Burrows heard the hopefuls.

All in all, 12 people came out to audition at St. George’s Anglican Church.

Rehearsals will begin very soon — music rehearsals will start mid-week.

We’re on our way!!!!

Listen up!

Dana Ferguson and David Burrows read Ariel and Antonio

Roger Gibson (Adrian) smiles for the camera

Director Craig Pinder gives, well, direction

Veteran actor Mik Bancroft returns to the stage for The Tempest

Ensemble work

Gene Cage (Ferdinand) listens to the director

Now begins the hard work. Co-directors Craig Pinder and Patti-Anne Ali will work with the cast to build the ensemble and create a production of The Tempest that will do Ringplay proud.

Expect Ringplay’s next set of auditions — for the docu-musical Music of The Bahamas — to take place within the next couple of weeks.

Watch this space!

And for more information about Shakespeare in Paradise, check out the blog, here.