Chris Eldon Lee reviews Floella Benjamin’s “Coming to England” which is at Birmingham Repertory Theatre until Saturday 16th April.
Floella Benjamin should be a national hero in two nations; the UK and Trinidad. The experience of ‘Coming to England’ at the age of ten (at the turn of the 60s) has clearly been etched on her memory ever since. She wrote her famous, autobiographical children’s book in 1995 which has now (rather belatedly) been dramatized for the stage by the leading children’s playwright David Wood … and it premiered at Birmingham Rep this week.
Floella made a name for herself in 1976 by being chosen to present BBC TV’s ‘Play School’ and to a certain extent this play feels like a jumbo, musical episode of that programme. So, it’s going to work brilliantly for children – especially I suspect Caribbean children keen to learn about their forebear’s journey – but will tend to leave adults wanting more.
The story telling and lyrics are childlike; for example – “toot the trumpet”, “bang the drum” – and it’s fascinating to see 60’s Britain through the eyes of an immigrant girl. Being in Britain was, apparently, like having an ice cream cone with no ice cream … and Floella recalls constantly being told to ‘be quiet, this is England!’
The early scenes in Trinidad generate a joy which pervades the whole show…whilst also sowing the seeds for the difficulties to come. The song ‘Brown Girl In The Ring’ is a fun-loving beach game in act one, and then becomes a sinister playground taunt in London in act two. At school in the Caribbean the children are proudly told they are British and are taught their Motherland’s History. So, Floella has learnt all about the Battle of Hastings of 1066, which marks her out as a swot when she spouts it in class over here. And in the West Indian they sing ‘Rule Britannia’ … not knowing the irony of the line “Britons never, never, never shall be slaves”. That is history they are not taught.
The historical turning point for the Benjamin family was the 1948 British Nationality Act which encouraged them to help make Britain great again by coming to the UK. From reading Dick Whittington, the children believed the streets are going to be paved with gold. The parents go ahead, and their six youngsters join them 15 months later in their one room flat. They sing about “Wonderful London”, but it isn’t.
The voyage from the colourful Caribbean to dull, dreary Britain is beautifully handled. Sparkling flying fish give way to grey clouds and the cast exchange vibrant beach wear for charcoal boiler suits. The Benjamins are amongst Britain’s first, brave, black faces and their treatment is sad to see; though being a children’s show these telling moments soon give way to yet another carnival song.
And that’s the frustration for this (white) adult reviewer. There are so many missed opportunities to make Floella’s story fuller. What does shine through is her determination to make something of herself in this brave new world and her philosophy that the best way to fight back is “with a smile”. We learn that all the Benjamin children make as success of their lives, including one brother who was instrumental in the invention of the barcode.
‘Coming to England’ is very much an ensemble show and the cast all sing lustily and work exceptionally hard at their many characterisations … for which they are rewarded with plenty of spontaneous applause. Paula Kay deserves a special mention though. Her portrayal of fun-loving Floella is simply superb. She wears her responsibility well, moves exquisitely and really connects with the eager audience.
This, I imagine, is the ideal show for an immigrant grandmother to bring her family to. It is shamelessly entertaining and has just enough purpose to spark interesting questions for grandma to answer on the way home.