Big Life, The

Alternative title: The Ska Musical
Synopsis: Based loosely on the plot of Love’s Labour’s Lost, the action of this much acclaimed ska musical is set in 1950s London. The Big Life follows the fortunes of a group of Caribbean immigrants arriving in Britain on board of the Windrush. In order to make the most of their new lives in England, they vow to forswear women and to devote themselves to self-improvement. In the radio adaptation the play is narrated by the Admiral, one of the passengers of the ship.
Series: Play of the Week (BBC World Service)
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Radio; Video
Transmission details: 25 Feb 2006 at 18:30 (Channel: BBC World Service)
Duration: 90 mins

Director

Clint Dyer

Producer

Writer

Music

Contributor

Cast

Victor Romero Evans	Ferdy (Ferdinand, King of Navarre)
Neil Reidman	Bernie (Berowne)
Antonia Kemi Coker	Zulieka (Princess of France)
Joanna Francis	Sybil (Rosaline)
Amanda Horlock	Secretary
Chris Tummings	Lennie (Longaville)
Claudia Cadette	Kathy (Catherine)
Geoff Aymer
Jason Pennycooke	Admiral
Lorna Brown	Mary (Maria)
Marcus Powell	Dennis (Dumaine)

Production type: Television and Radio Drama
Historical period: 1950s
Plays: Love’s Labour’s Lost
Subjects: Drama
Keywords: musicals; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); Multicultural casting; Black actors; Ska

Notes: The stage production of the play is recorded on 3 cameras from the performance at the Apollo Theatre on 21 June 2005 and available for viewing by appointment at the V&A Theatre & Performance Collections, National Video Archive of Performance.
General: The Big Life was the first black British musical ever to be performed in the West End. The title of the production is taken from Sam Selvon’s novel The Lonely Londoners (1956).
History: The musical premiered at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, London, on 7 April 2004 where it was directed by Clint Dyer. After a repeat run at Stratford in February 2005, it transferred to the West End Apollo Theatre on 23 May 2005.
The Big Life is the first musical to be broadcast in the BBC World Service ‘Play of the Week ‘series.
Textual information: The script of the musical was published by Oberon Books in April 2004.
Reviews: Ferris, Lesley. "The Big Life: The Ska Musical."
Theatre Journal 57.1 (2005): 110-112.

Ritchie, Fiona. "The Big Life, by Paul Sirett." Borrowers and Lenders: The Journal of Shakespeare and Appropriation. 1.2 (2006): np. http://atropos.english.uga.edu/cocoon/borrowers/current_index

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