In addition to journalism, I am also a playwright, theatre producer and actor. I suppose my first experience as an 'entrepreneur' was when I started my own theatre company in London, Lost Luggage Productions. Running a theatre company and producing is like running any business - you become the last man, or woman, standing. Whenever anything goes wrong or anyone has a question, it always comes back to you and it took me some time to get comfortable with that pressure. The play that stands out the most for me from my time in London is one I wrote, produced and acted in called A Patch of Blue.
A Patch of Blue had its World Stage Premiere at the King’s Head Theatre in London. The play was Time Out’s Critics Choice for two weeks running and there are now talks of the play having its U.S. Premiere in Los Angeles.
It is the story of two strangers who meet and fall in love among the most unlikely of circumstances. Selina is a blind girl who knows nothing of the world except the impoverished life she shares with an abusive mother and a drunken grandfather. Gordon is a black man trying to make his way in a world of prejudice and racism in 1960 America. But together they discover love and the desire for freedom.
The play is based on Elizabeth Kata’s 1961 novel Be Ready with Bells And Drums. British director Guy Green adapted the book for the screen in 1965 and re-titled it A Patch of Blue. The new title came from a sailor expression - 'a patch of blue' was sign of safety in stormy skies. The film starred Sidney Poitier and Shelly Winters and garnered six Golden Globe nominations including a win for Best Actress and five Oscar nominations, including a win for Best Supporting Actress.
I was awarded exclusive rights to write the play adaptation of Elizabeth Kata’s novel. The biggest challenge I faced when writing the play was figuring out what I wanted to say and what I wanted to bring to the story. I loved the book so much it was hard to allow myself to bring my voice and my interpretation into the story. But once I let go of these mental limitations, it was an amazing experience writing about these fierce and rich characters. A Patch of Blue is a thought provoking play that exposes the deep-seated reality that we see in today’s headlines of racism and prejudice that can lead to political and social explosion.
THE TIMES REVIEW
THE EVENING STANDARD REVIEW
MUSIC OMH REVIEW
