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Interviews
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Ray Brown- Writing Living Pretty Ray Brown tells Peter Lathan about how he wrote his latest play, the life story of Alfred Williams. "Some people stay with you forever. Alfred Williams was like that. We became neighbours in 1981 and friends soon after. A wise man of broad experience, a dedicated truant ('me school was up a tree'), he regretted his inability to manage more than rudimentary reading and writing. He was married twice and the father of five children. In good humour and bad, bitterness, happiness and even the occasional intoxication, he maintained an admirable air of dignity and, usually, a smile. Alfred died in Wheatfields Hospice on the 16th April 1997. "In the late 80's we co-wrote his autobiography, To Live It Is to Know It. The book was a New Statesman Christmas choice. It moves from a childhood in Jamaica to retirement in Leeds. It tells of an ordinary man made extraordinary by resilience, intelligence and good humour. "Over the years we came to rely on each other. We did many daft and delightful things together. (Mushrooming at 5 am in a field near Leeds Bradford Airport - two hours and we didn't find one!) We shared laughter and tears. "He died on April 25th, 1997. He had cancer of the liver and bone and was in constant pain. One Sunday in April he said, 'Brother? You think I get over this?' I knew he was on borrowed time and said so. We talked about other things for a while, then he said, 'I think me house is too far gone for repair. I have a mind to live in me sister' house, it have a lot of rooms. You know what I mean?' I did. Alfred was announcing his death. He went into hospital the next day and died two days later. '"Alfred was such a big and interesting man, I knew that one day I would share what I knew of him with others. "For three years I looked for an actor. Then I saw Everal Walsh in Sundance at Bradford's Theatre in the Mill. I'd found my man! Everal is an extraordinary and exciting actor with a massive future. His credits include a world tour of Wole Soyinka's great play The Beatification of Area Boy and Coronation Street. He also works in film, radio drama and, with his magnifient voice, as a voice-over artist. In Living Pretty he plays seventeen characters! "On stage with Everal Walsh is singer Pauline Tomlin, ex 'Tobe La Rone and the Acid Drops' and many other bands. Pauline's last appearance was at the London Palladium a couple of weeks ago! Like Everal her parents came from Jamaica. "I wrote the first draft in a couple of weeks. But it's been though dozens of drafts. Set on an inner city allotment, we see Alfred coming to terms with his rapidly approaching death as he revisits significant periods in his life, from his pre-school life in the 'bush', through his school days 'up a tree' to back-breaking and dangerous work in the cane fields; finally he saves enough money to come to 'the Mother Country'. He arrived in time to hear Harold Macmillan say 'You've never had it so good.' Alfred smiled, the Prime Minister of the day was not talking to him. "Alfred ended up with the same as his much loved Grandmother, and his fierce dad - a little house and a little plot of land to cultivate. It was a rough road, from the Jamaican countryside to his plot on the allottments. Luckily Living Pretty is littered with laughter as well as tears. "Writing, directing and producing means that I have 100% creative control. I have drawn on the abundant talents of good friends including singer Brendan Croker, actor Fine Time Fontayne, Ian Bloomfield (Artistic Director, Theatre in the Mill, Bradford) and Kully Thiarai (Artistic Director, Leicester Haymarket Theatre). More than this, I have had the constant guidance and support of Trevor Griffiths, (a playwright unique in his span: theatre (Comedians), tv (Bill Brand) and film (Reds)). Trevor's help with script and direction is invaluable - he didn't get his BAFTAs and Oscar nomination for nothing! "My intention is that Living Pretty should be a refreshing theatrical experience for young and old, theatre-goers and telly watchers. On a more personal level, I've tried to make a play that would have Alfred angry, bitter, thoughtful and laughing - just like his life. I need to know that if we watched it together, at the end he'd nudge my arm and give me his greatest accolade - 'You bogger!' "With grants from Leeds City Council and Arts Council England - Yorkshire, I developed the play in 2003, a process which included a dozen public performances, half of which were sold out. After more development work I got a significant Arts Council touring grant. In October and November this year we will mount at least 40 performances, we then put the play to bed for a while before starting the second leg of the tour in May 2005. "During development the play really did evoke laughter and tears. I remember with great pleasure the woman from Ireland who, with tears on her cheeks, told me that although she wasn't black, she'd just seen her own story; the man born near Spanish Town who, when I asked if he'd known Alfred, answered, 'Know him? I am Alfred Williams!'. And I remember someone shocked to find that a white writer had written the play, 'You must have listened very, very carefully!' she said. I did!"
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