31 March – 16 April
Coming To England is the story of Floella Benjamin’s childhood in both Trinidad and England; how she grew up in the Caribbean till, at the age of “almost eleven”, she and three of her siblings followed her parents and the two youngest over to the United Kingdom on a ship, and what she faced as a young adult thereafter.
Framed by an adult Floella, now the Baroness Benjamin of Beckenham receiving the Freedom of the City of London honour in 2018, the play deftly navigates these different time periods. Those expecting much time devoted to Floella’s career on Play School or Play Away may be disappointed. The start of the second act features a rousing rendition of If You’re Happy and You Know It, which sets up far more audience interaction than in the first half, before Floella reveals they’ve “jumped ahead in the story.” That period of her life is not what this show is about.
The energetic cast are on the whole phenomenally game; they imbue the show with the spirit of children’s television presenters (Tarik Frimpong should have his own show already), but somehow manage to sell the more emotional moments too. Paula Kay as Floella handles that particular task incredibly well. The show rocks back and forth – we’re clapping, we’re crying – and she holds our hand through it all. Her spirit matches that of the real Floella. Her scenes with Bree Smith as Marmie are affecting.
This first-night audience was lucky enough to be graced by Benjamin herself. She was quite literally a shining star, beglittered in a fabulous dress and with that famous smile. She charmed us all. She could have told all of us to sing any nursery rhyme and I think we would have.
I worried when the show started that things would be too saccharine or corny, complicated subject matter mishandled, but slowly (and magically) I began to see that this is a show with a singular point of view. One I have not really seen before. Everything from the mesmeric set and lighting design by Bretta Gerecke – those butterflies! – to the simple but catchy choreography by director Omar F Okai is there to put those of us who are big kids back in the mindset of a child. If you got that, you had the time of your life – and it seems most of the audience did!
One note: the marketing around the show is a little confused, and I’d guess this is part of the reason for some of the audience’s uncertain reactions. The poster implies an all-out kids’ show featuring a young actor playing Floella, while this is a much more mature, sensitive show, one that does what kids’ shows should do more of: it does not treat kids like they need to be handled with “kid gloves”.
Dame Floella spoke about how she hopes to see many more children in the audience over the next couple of weeks, and it made me understand that she hopes this show can reach those kids it can most impact; that it may inspire them, that it may encourage them to rise above prejudice. Perhaps that’s why the poster is what it is: to inspire families and guardians to bring along their kids. Children, after all, are the ones who can achieve Benjamin’s dream: of a Diversity Nirvana.
Go see this. Be swept along. It’s for the kids and big kids alike. Open your eyes to wonder and be game for a laugh.
★★★★☆ Will Amott 5th April
Photo credit: Geraint Lewis
