Tuesday 12 August 2008

Let There Be Love

Back from the theatre again ... this time Kwame Kwei Armah's 'Let There Be Love' at the Tricycle. A surprise to see such a domestic drama from this writer .. but also a delight. I've seen some reviews complaining of sentimentality, but that didn't bother me at all. I'd rather see something sentimental that moves me than an intellectual piece of political drama that leaves me cold. And move me it did - tears dripping off my chin by the end! It was a very traditional piece with a realistic set with the dreaded sofa at the centre- but this is the exception that proves the rule (the rule being that any play with a sofa in it is likely to be pedestrian and unimaginative. Unfair prejudice, possibly - but think about it). The subject matter of the play was of course (given the writer) contemporary, and the evening was made by the superlative performance of Lydia Leonard as Polish home help Maria - it's hard to imagine a better performance. Joseph Marcel takes the lead, and is, as always, marvellous. I first saw him playing Othello at the Lyric Hammersmith and have never seen him turn in a bad performance (and that includes the ultimate tosh that is The Fresh Prince of Bel Air). Sharon Duncan-Brewster completes the cast, as the spikey and difficult daughter - a character who in less competent hands could be unsympathetic. A moving and engaging show. Let there be love indeed.

Tuesday 5 August 2008

Tiata Delights and surprise meetings

Last Thursday was Tiata Delights at the Almeida which was indeed delightful. I went with my husband Matthew, and Michael Walling and Roe Lane of Border Crossings. Really interesting new West African plays; both were flawed but had brilliant moments and kept my interest throughout. Tiata Fahodzi producer Thomas Kell has worked wonders on the audience development front - it was a really good house, especially when you consider that these were rehearsed readings and not finished performances. Of course there were some wonderful performances, notably from Danny Sapani (one of my very favourite actors) and overall it was a great evening.

There was a surprise for me that night ... I glanced at the next row and saw my ex-colleague from Nanzikambe, Melissa Eveleigh. I haven't seen her for about 18 months, and thought she was in Malawi, so my jaw actually dropped! Great to be able to catch up though, as I've been trying to speak to her about MAF for some time, but due to pressure of work we never seem to be available at the same time.

Organisation for MAF2009 continues to gather pace ... I had a long conversation with Harry Gibbs, who is organising at the Malawi end. He is now officially on board as Production Manager, overseeing the technical side of the festival, and recruiting and managing the Event Production Team. A great relief to have someone so experienced and competent to work alongside me.

Saturday 26 July 2008

West Side Story

Just back from the theatre last night - West Side Story at Sadlers Wells. I'm not usually very interested in mainstream theatre, but this was fantastic. I'd forgotten how very wonderful the music was, and the choreography was still wonderfully fresh. Even the occasional "daddy-o" in the script didn't make it feel too outdated. Youth knife crime ... still very current. There's nothing new, it seems. If you loved the film, you'll love this revival: it's true to the original and beautifully sung. Go, and have fun!

Tuesday 8 July 2008

Caine Prize

It's been a busy week ... much excitement as Stanley Kenani, a good friend from Malawi, arrived in London courtesy of the Caine Prize. His short story, For Honour, was shortlisted for this prestigious award - only 5 on the short list from 90 authors nominated by their publishers. I met Stanley for coffee and we discussed the Malawi Arts Festival. Back in 2004 Stanley approached me with the idea of an Arts festival for Malawi - it's taken several years, but here we are!

Sunday night saw me at the Purcell Room at the Southbank Centre, listening to all the short listed authors read from and discuss their work with Gary Younge. Wonderful to hear the true voices of Africa, gloriously rich and diverse, from Henrietta Rose-Innes' story from South Africa through the earthy humour of Nigerian Uzor Maxim Uzoatu to Stanley's painful dissection of a man's humiliation when his wife sleeps with another man in order to become pregnant. the stories are all available to read online at http://www.newint.org/publications/fiction/jambula-tree/ .

Back to the real world on Monday, and some great news: the French Cultural Centre are now officially on board as sponsors of MAF2009. So the great juggernaut is rolling on, gathering speed. A long conversation with Muthi Nhlema at British Council Malawi this morning thrashed out more details : the dates are now confirmed as 13th - 19th June 2009. So if you're planning on going to Grahamstown this year, why not come to Malawi first?

Tomorrow I am off to York, for the first meeting with Jack Mapanje and dramaturg, Neil Grutchfield, to kick-start the writing of Jack's first play. By the end of the day we will be much clearer about how the process will be organised, and what our goals are for the project. Last week I had a call from International PEN who are interested in the project ... early days, but it looks like it might create a bit of interest in international literary circles.

Monday 16 June 2008

Malawi Arts Festival

With the final performance of the Bilimankhwe Young Company's NT Connections show, A Vampire Story, finally over (it went very well, with a good audience at the Arcola Theatre) I'm now getting on with sorting out the Malawi Arts Festival ... MAF2009 is only 10 months away.

We now have a website, www.malawiartsfestival.org and are in the throes of putting a schedule together. Details will be posted here as soon as ... but if everything works, it's going to be quite an exiting week of arts events in Malawi.

Sunday 8 June 2008

resolution

This has been a busy year ... and I've managed to completely neglect updating my blog. So, rather belatedly and with great shame, I am turning over a new leaf. Anyone looking for up to date information about Bilimankhwe Arts should, from now on, be able to check the blog and see marvellous, interesting and witty comment from yours truly.

Or not.

I suppose you'll just have to check back with the blog next week to see. I heard Bill Bailey today on Desert Island Discs saying that the secret of comedy is to keep saying funny things. I will have succeeded if I can just say some things!