Small Island (NHB Modern Plays) E-Book

Andrea Levy

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

Hortense yearns for a new life away from rural Jamaica. Gilbert dreams of becoming a lawyer. Queenie longs to escape her Lincolnshire roots. Three intimately connected stories, tracing the tangled history of Jamaica and Britain. Andrea Levy's epic novel, adapted for the stage by Helen Edmundson, journeys from Jamaica to Britain in 1948 – the year that HMT Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury. Small Island was first performed at the National Theatre, London, in 2019, in an acclaimed production directed by Rufus Norris. This revised edition of the play was published alongside the revival of the production in 2022. 'Extraordinary. A spectacular adaptation of Andrea Levy's Windrush novel' - Observer 'Edmundson has a knack for skilfully distilling story... ferociously entertaining' - Time Out 'A landmark in the National Theatre's history: a tumultuous epic about first-generation Jamaican immigrants... skilfully adapted... one of the most important plays of the year' - Guardian

Leseprobe

Andrea Levy

SMALL ISLAND

adapted for the stage by

Helen Edmundson

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Original Production Details

Small Island

About the Authors

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Small Island was first performed in the Olivier auditorium of the National Theatre, London, on 1 May 2019 (previews from 17 April). The cast, in order of speaking, was as follows:

MRS RYDER

Amy Forrest

HORTENSE

Leah Harvey

MISS JEWEL

Sandra James-Young

LITTLE HORTENSE

Keira Chansa, Aiko Foueillis-Mosé, Nova Foueillis-Mosé

MR PHILIP/G.I./KENNETH

Trevor Laird

MISS MA

Jacqueline Boatswain

LITTLE MICHAEL

Shaquahn Crowe, Raphael Higgins-Humes, Quincy Miller-Cole

MICHAEL

CJ Beckford

POLICEMAN/G.I.

Natey Jones

WOMAN IN HURRICANE

Chereen Buckley

BERNARD

Andrew Rothney

QUEENIE

Aisling Loftus

AUNT DOROTHY/ WOMAN WITH BABY

Beatie Edney

MRS BUXTON/MISS TODD/ WOMAN/WOMAN IN CINEMA

Stephanie Jacob

MR BUXTON/GINGER/ SERGEANT THWAITES/ RAILWAY WORKER

Adam Ewan

YOUNG MAN IN SWEETSHOP/ KIP/G.I./RAILWAY WORKER

Cavan Clarke

ARTHUR

David Fielder

FRANNY

Phoebe Frances Brown, Rebecca Lee

GILBERT

Gershwyn Eustache Jnr

RECRUITING OFFICER ONE/ SOAMES/RAILWAY WORKER/ MILITARY POLICEMAN

Paul Bentall

ELWOOD

Johann Myers

RECRUITING OFFICER TWO/ G.I./FOREMAN

John Hastings

USHERETTE

CJ Johnson

G.I.

Daniel Norford

CELIA

Shiloh Coke

Other parts played by members of the company

UNDERSTUDIES

ARTHUR

Paul Bentall

HORTENSE/MISS MA

Chereen Buckley

MISS JEWEL/WOMAN

Shiloh Coke

MANAGER/MAN/KIP

Adam Ewan

BERNARD

John Hastings

GILBERT

Natey Jones

QUEENIE

Rebecca Lee

MR PHILIP/KENNETH

Johann Myers

MICHAEL/ELWOOD

Daniel Norford

SUPERNUMERARIES

Jamie Ankrah, Aimee Louise Bevan, Thea Day, Victoria Denard, Alma Eno, Alvin Ikenwe, Luther King Osei, Alice Langrish, Roberta Livingston, Fatima Niemogha, Anselm Onyenani, Mary Tillett, Joseph Vaiana, Tricia Wey, Christopher Williams, Joylon Young

ON FILM

Alyn Hawke and Gemma Sutton

Music recorded by

Jazz Jamaica All Stars

Additional music recorded by

London String Group

Director

Rufus Norris

Set and Costume Designer

Katrina Lindsay

Projection Designer

Jon Driscoll

Lighting Designer

Paul Anderson

Composer and Rehearsal Music Director

Benjamin Kwasi Burrell

Sound Designer

Ian Dickinson

Movement Director

Coral Messam

Fight Director

Kate Waters

Music Supervisor

Marc Tritschler

Music Consultant

Gary Crosby

Company Voice Work

Jeannette Nelson

Dialect Coach

Hazel Holder

Associate Set and Costume Designer

Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey

Associate Projection Designer

Gino Ricardo Green

Staff Director

Anna Himali Howard

Associate Music Director

Shiloh Coke

The production was revived in the Olivier auditorium on 3 March 2022 (previews from 24 February). The cast, in order of speaking, was as follows:

MRS RYDER

Amy Forrest

HORTENSE

Leonie Elliott

MISS JEWEL

Sandra James-Young

LITTLE HORTENSE

Hosanna-Reine Grimwade, Renee Hart, Ta’lia Harvey

MR PHILIP/G.I.

David Webber

MISS MA

Flo Wilson

LITTLE MICHAEL

Asad-Shareef Muhammad, Nasri Thompson, Theo-Oliver Townsend

MICHAEL

Elliot Barnes-Worrell

POLICEMAN/G.I./KENNETH

Marcel White

WOMAN IN HURRICANE

Chereen Buckley

BERNARD

Martin Hutson

QUEENIE

Mirren Mack

AUNT DOROTHY/ WOMAN WITH BABY

Rachel Lumberg

MRS BUXTON/MISS TODD/ WOMAN IN CINEMA

Stephanie Jacob

MR BUXTON/GINGER/ SERGEANT THWAITES/ RAILWAY WORKER

Adam Ewan

YOUNG MAN IN SWEET SHOP/ KIP/G.I./RAILWAY WORKER

Cavan Clarke

ARTHUR

David Fielder

FRANNY

Rebecca Lee

GILBERT

Leemore Marrett Jr

RECRUITING OFFICER ONE/ SOAMES/RAILWAY WORKER/MILITARY

Andrew Frame

POLICEMAN

ELWOOD

Courtney Winston

RECRUITING OFFICER TWO/ G.I./FOREMAN/

Tom Page

REMOVAL MAN

USHERETTE

CJ Johnson

G.I.

Daniel Norford

CELIA

Alicia McKenzie

Other parts played by members of the company

UNDERSTUDIES

ARTHUR

Andrew Frame

HORTENSE/MISS MA

Chereen Buckley

MISS JEWEL/WOMAN

Alicia McKenzie

MANAGER/MAN/KIP

Adam Ewan

BERNARD

Tom Page

GILBERT

Marcel White

QUEENIE

Rebecca Lee

AUNT DOROTHY/MRS RYDER

CJ Johnson

MICHAEL/KENNETH/ELWOOD

Daniel Norford

SWING

Darrel Bailey

SWING

Virginia Thompson

SUPERNUMERARIES

Elizabeth Ayodele, Jamahyl Chan-Ellis, McCallam Connell, Iona Crampton, Thea Day, Harry Harrington, Alice Langrish, Chloe Morley, Ntongo Mwanza, Danielle Springer, Tom Thornton, Mary Tillett, Jerry Woolley, Jolyon Young

ON FILM

Alyn Hawke and Gemma Sutton

Music recorded by

Jazz Jamaica All Stars

Additional music recorded by

London String Group and Andy Findon (Flutes), John Graham (Clarinets) & Matthew Gunner (French Horn)

Director

Rufus Norris

Set and Costume Designer

Katrina Lindsay

Projection Designer

Jon Driscoll

Lighting Designer

Paul Anderson

Composer and Rehearsal Music Director

Benjamin Kwasi Burrell

Sound Designer

Ian Dickinson

Movement Director

Coral Messam

Fight Director

Kate Waters

Music Consultant

Gary Crosby

Company Voice Work

Jeannette Nelson and Victoria Woodward

Dialect Coach

Hazel Holder

Associate Director

Denzel Westley-Sanderson

Associate Projection Designer

Gino Ricardo Green

Associate Projection Designer (Paternity Cover)

Characters

HORTENSE

OFFICER 2

MRS RYDER

ELWOOD

LITTLE HORTENSE

FLIGHT SERGEANT

MISS JEWEL

THWAITES

MR PHILIP

WOMAN WITH BABY

MISS MA

G.I. 1

LITTLE MICHAEL

G.I. 2

MICHAEL

USHERETTE

POLICEMAN

WHITE G.I. 2

WOMAN IN HURRICANE

CINEMA MANAGER

BERNARD

AMERICAN MILITARY

QUEENIE

POLICEMAN

AUNT DOROTHY

CELIA LANGLEY

MR BUXTON

CAPTAIN SOAMES

MRS BUXTON

KENNETH

YOUNG MAN

MISS TODD

ARTHUR

FOREMAN

FRANNY

WORKER 1

KIP

WORKER 2

GINGER

WORKER 3

GILBERT

WHITE G.I.

OFFICER 1

And REPORTERS, LOCALS, VOLUNTEERS, ASSISTANT, OLD LADY, WHITE G.I.s, BLACK G.I.S, WEST INDIAN RECRUITS, AMERICAN MILITARY POLICEMEN, EX-SERVICEMEN, MEN, WOMEN

This ebook was created before the end of rehearsals and so may differ slightly from the play as performed.

ACT ONE

Scene One

Summer. 1939.

Pathé-style news footage of Jamaica bracing itself for a strong hurricane.

On the stage, in a wooden schoolhouse, HORTENSE is hurrying to prepare the classroom for the hurricane’s arrival. The schoolteacher, MRS RYDER, is standing in the open doorway. Strong gusts of wind are heard.

MRS RYDER. Why, listen to that wind, Hortense! I do believe it’s on its way.

HORTENSE. Yes, Mrs Ryder. It is certainly drawing closer now.

MRS RYDER. Oh, look how the trees are starting to sway! Why, it’s as if they’re dancing!

HORTENSE. Yes, Mrs Ryder.

MRS RYDER. My very first hurricane, how thrilling! (Blown by the wind.) Oh!

HORTENSE pauses in what she’s doing and looks at the audience. She addresses them, conspiratorially, with barely controlled excitement.

HORTENSE (to audience). I think, perchance, that you are wondering how I come to find myself in this schoolhouse with this fool-fool American woman who believe a hurricane on the island of Jamaica is something to look forward to.

MRS RYDER. Oh, my, I do believe it’s almost here!

HORTENSE (to audience). I must confess that I feel just a little bit sorry for this lady – Mrs Ryder, evangelist, schoolteacher. She clearly believe that she is the heroine of this situation, but I can assure you, she is most certainly not.

MRS RYDER. Let’s leave the door unlocked, shall we, in case someone wants to join us?

HORTENSE. Like Mr Ryder.

MRS RYDER. Yes, Hortense. Exactly. Like Mr Ryder. Now, where’s my purse, I think this calls for lipstick!

MRS RYDER locates her handbag, takes out her lipstick and puts some on.

HORTENSE (to audience). The reason I am in this schoolhouse is that I choose to be. I am only a classroom assistant after all and, like the pupils, I could have left at lunchtime when word of the approaching storm was verified. But to do such a sensible thing would be to deny the man I love the opportunity to come and rescue me. For him to say, ‘Hortense! But where is Hortense?! Perhaps she’s in the schoolhouse, perhaps she is alone, afraid! I must risk my life and run to her at once!’

MRS RYDER. I swear the Lord is present in that wind. Oh, come, wind, for I am ready!

HORTENSE (to audience). I will tell you the story of my love. It is a love with deep-down roots.

Enter HORTENSE as a little child, skipping and playing on a wooded path. Enter MISS JEWEL, walking with intent. HORTENSE remains onstage, emotionally and physically involved with her younger self. She speaks some of her lines.

MISS JEWEL. Hortense! Hortense! Come-come, me sprigadee.

LITTLE HORTENSE. How much further to the big house with the chickens?

MISS JEWEL. Not much further nah.

LITTLE HORTENSE. Miss Jewel, if I nuh like the big house with the chickens, can we go back to Mama?

MISS JEWEL. Nuh, I tell yah – your mama gone work in another country nah. She far, far away. In Cuba.

LITTLE HORTENSE. But what if she come back to look for us?

MISS JEWEL. She know we gone to your papa folk.

LITTLE HORTENSE. Who is my papa? (Receiving no reply.) Miss Jewel? Grandmama?

MISS JEWEL. Your papa him big-big man, government man. Him far, far away. In Kingston.

LITTLE HORTENSE suddenly stops.

LITTLE HORTENSE. I nuh want to go to the big house with the chickens.

MISS JEWEL stops and looks at her. She crouches down and beckons to LITTLE HORTENSE –

MISS JEWEL. Come.

LITTLE HORTENSE goes to her. MISS JEWEL takes hold of one of LITTLE HORTENSE’s arms.

This your papa’s skin. Colour of warm honey. You a lucky, lucky chile. This skin is a golden life. You wa golden life, me sprigadee?

LITTLE HORTENSE/HORTENSE (enchanted). Oh, yes. I wa golden life.

MISS JEWEL. So shift yuh battam nah.

They walk on. Then MISS JEWEL stops.

This the place.

HORTENSE (to audience). A long track. A white house nestled amongst palm trees. The biggest house I’ve ever seen. Made of stone, with tiles upon the roof.

Enter MR PHILIP, MISS MA and LITTLE MICHAEL. LITTLE MICHAEL hangs back, watching.

MR PHILIP. So this is Lovell’s child.

MISS JEWEL. Yessir. This Hortense, sir.

MR PHILIP. Hum. (To LITTLE HORTENSE.) I am your father’s cousin, Mr Philip Roberts. This is my wife, Mrs Martha Roberts. You are a fortunate child. Your father wishes you to be raised in a decent home and to have some teaching. So from now on you will live with us. This is a God-fearing house. I hope you are acquainted with the Lord?

LITTLE HORTENSE looks at MISS JEWEL doubtfully.

MISS JEWEL. Oh, yessir. The Lord him very good man, sir.

MR PHILIP. Hum.

MR PHILIP walks away into the house.

MISS MA. Michael, don’t be shy now. Come and meet your cousin.

LITTLE MICHAEL approaches, grinning. His hands are clasped behind his back.

MISS MA. Hortense, this is our son, Michael.

LITTLE HORTENSE (quietly). Hello.

LITTLE MICHAEL (thrusting out his hand which holds a baby snake). Snake!

MISS MA and MISS JEWEL scream. LITTLE HORTENSE just looks at it.

(To LITTLE HORTENSE.) Snake! You have to scream!

LITTLE HORTENSE. But I like snakes.

MISS MA. Put it away, Michael! You are a mischievous boy. Take Hortense to her bedroom now. Miss Jewel, I will show you where you sleep.

LITTLE HORTENSE. But I sleep with my grandmama.

MISS MA. Certainly not. Miss Jewel will sleep in the wash house.

MISS JEWEL. Nuh fret nah, me sprigadee…

MISS MA. And there will be no more of that talk. This is Miss Hortense. And this is Master Michael.

MISS MA leads MISS JEWEL away towards the wash house. LITTLE MICHAEL runs towards the gardens at the back of the house.

LITTLE MICHAEL (to LITTLE HORTENSE). Come now! Come now!

LITTLE HORTENSE runs after him, uncertainly.

LITTLE HORTENSE. Where we going?

LITTLE MICHAEL runs to high ground and points –

LITTLE MICHAEL. All this is my father’s land. Those are my father’s goats, those are my father’s chickens, that is my father’s orchard!

He runs on, LITTLE HORTENSE following. They arrive at a large tree. There’s a rickety table in front of it.