Why write about people from near where you & I work, live and love?
I'll try to answer the question in a round about way. Forty years ago as an impressionable sixth former reading The Caucasian Chalk Circle I was struck by the symbolic moment of Bertolt Brecht's play - where Grusha, the hapless and kindly child minder to the local great and good, was compelled to prove who was the best mother by pulling the child she cared for out of the chalk circle after weeks of caring for the baby after her wealthy birth mother had fled her home as soldiers advanced and left the child behind, What to do? And, what a terrible test to be set. And this vivid dilemma and powerful dramatic moment has stayed with me. And as years have rolled on this potent moment of theatre has influenced and informed me at various stages of my life as a brother, young father and more recently as a grandfather. When to push or pull or quietly walk away from the absurdity of it all. And it is here that my trio of amazing local female characters come to mind, again and again. as I was drawn into their colourful life stories from different parts of the Black Country - I was constantly thinking about how they would respond to their own biggest dilemma and difficulty after achieving so much in their lives. For example: Dorothy Round was the capable tennis player from Dudley that conquered Wimbledon, twice, but was thwarted by overwhelming and inescapable forces in her attempt to do the triple. Edna Kirby also faced a huge challenge to her successful leather goods business in Walsall, despite trying to help her largely all female work force who helped propel her company onto the national daily newspapers - for all the wrong reasons. Sylvia King of Sandwell also faced similar unwieldy challenges to her dream of building the biggest people's fun palace in West Bromwich. Their response and way of coping are unique and equally memorable for varying degrees of defiance, acceptance and ingenuity. Just like the response Grusha made, all those years ago. There is more to follow about these three phenomenal characters as the six shows approach and edge closer in 2024. Dates and booking details below and more on the Grusha's Theatre Company tab (top left hand side). Babsolutely Fabulous! A play by Adrian Johnson – summer tour dates Thurs 6 June 7.30pm Central West Bromwich Library Tel 0121 5694100 Fri 7 June 7.30pm Thimblemill Library Tel 0121 5694943 Sat 8 June 2pm Walsall Leather Museum Tel 01922 6528288 Thurs 13 June 7.30pm Dudley Central Library Tel 01384 815560 Fri 14 June 7.30pm Wolverhampton Arena Tel 01902 321321 Sat 15 June 12noon Wednesbury Museum Gallery Tel 0121 5560683 Book your tickets online, here: for West Bromwich Central & Dudley Central Library: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on?q=Babsolutely%20fabulous for Thimblemill Library: Babsolutely Fabulous - Booking by Bookwhen for Wednesbury Museum and Art Gallery: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/sandwell-museums-and-arts/babsolutely-fabulous/e-gbzjve for Walsall Leather Museum phone or collect your tickets in person only for Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton: Babsolutely Fabulous (ticketsolve.com)
0 Comments
|
|