A cultural explosion mixed with a musical force to be reckoned with, hard hitting points of view that didn’t hold back and unmatched acting. Great Britsh persectives. We are faced with such cultural diversity in London.
Take Haringey, a place where over 100 languages are spoken, it’ so easy to neglect some of the voices and not understand that there are some stories to be told, stories that can change lives and open eyes to just how fresh, funny, fatal and frightening life can be growing up in London.
That is part of what the night at the Bernie Grant Arts Center showed. How the young are forced to find their voices and struggle with stereotypes and negative portrayal, racial profiling by the police and an unstimulating life style. How a single mother who is brutally beaten by her husband while pregnant can be pushed to the limits and take such drastic action as burning her child yet ask for forgivnes from the lord and live her life in a kind and gentle way. An Asian parent’s disappointment at their child not following the family tradition and becoming a doctor, lawyer or an accontant rather, dropping out and becoming involved in crime. The play touched on various extremes to do with life in Britain that aren’t portrayed by TV. (The tell-lie-vision as it was broken down during the brilliant performance.) Boxes we’re used during the performance to show some of the claustrophobia of Britain and give the spaces between us more meaning.
~”I’m British British what what, Through and through”
The British way of life was shown through many different ethnic minority perspectives. The power of the pound and the security of sterling. The stress of slave ships mixed the truth about fashion. The audience was tested and challenged, twisted, entertained, embarrassed and enthralled all the while the band played a mixture of Jazz, Blues, hip hop, reggae solos, spoof and much more. There was song, spoken word, passionate acting, solemn sentiments and true reality all thrown in.
It is not often the tears of a Jamaican woman are shown so beautifully that the audience are stunned into silence and at the same time so moved into stunning applause at an elegant portrayal.
What we had was an in depth, hard hitting, young, fresh, cultural outlook at life in Britain from a wide range of perspectives. The truth was told. Why have there been raids on some of the flights that come from Jamaica and Ghana? Why are planes from those countries forced to turn back while other flights are left in peace? Why are some of the youth so quick to lash out at authority and given ASBOs striking them into their homes? Where is the representation of the diversity of Britain on TV? Certainly not on big brother.
Yet that is what many feel locked into. That is what supplies millions with their food for thought. What effect does this have on social standards? What could make a white woman grip her hand bag at the sight of a young black male on his way home from college or on a bike ride to see his girlfriend? Are the stereotypes true? Has the portrayal by the media worked? Is this a forced outlook? Can opinions be changed? Does the TV represent reality or is reality portrayed in TV? As a young black male living in London with ideas about life and wanting to succeed, who can be a role model away from the TV? Rappers?? Why are rappers who talk about bitches guns and whores given such prime time? Can they really influence a four year old to become a gangster? Or is it all a bit of entertainment?? These are some of the questions that the night at the ever so hospitable Bernie grant Arts Center asked me.
The audience was given never before seen glimpses into a young womans world as she searched for the right words to pray to the god of her choice and find what is real to her amongst the dreams/nightmares pressures and fantasies in her life. Entirely moving.
Freedom vs Slavery- Rebellion vs conformism – Love vs hate – Truth vs lies – all put to the test in a night jam packed with expression and bursting at the brim with brilliance. Asians, black lager louts, students, rebels, refugees, oppressed youth, those with faith, authority, father figures, leaders, those with things to say, those without brought together in a night that involved acting, singing, rapping, leading, teaching, talking truthfully, listening, touching, telling in ways I have never seen before from points of view I had no idea existed. I think thats what the night was about. To me hearing from those people who there is no chance for me to hear from was a great experience. Those people whom if I hear from will change my life, will make me grow, will make my eyes open with their stories and their struggles.
I was given so much at this night. I was told by the youth, do no Judge me or I will blow you away. Now I know exactly what it means to hear from the people. I know what it means to dance to their music and to cry to their song to cheer with their delight and to complain at some of the exposing that takes place. A great night. Highlights were the human beat box doing a call and response with the drummer and numerous acapella that showed the greatness in all of the actors. I would go again and again and be mesmerized just the same.
Jaie Miller