Kerry Michael’s Speech at the Unveiling of the Joan Littlewood Statue Sunday 4 October 2015 Ladies and Gentlemen, please join me in thanking Caroline Bird and her poem The Fun Palace. The poem was commissioned for the 2012 Games and you can find it across the road in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. It’s in between the ArcelorMittal Orbit and the Olympic West Ham United Stadium.
I’m Kerry Michael and I’m the very proud Artistic Director of Theatre Royal Stratford East.
I first worked here when I was 22 years old. The then Artistic Director Philip Hedley discovered I was a Greek Cypriot and got me to try and sell a new play by Mike Leigh called Greek Tragedy, about the Greek Community.
My first job for this theatre was trying to find every Greek café and clothes factory in and around London and give them leaflets and posters to put up and get them in to see the show. It was a great beginning.
Since then I’ve been part of this wonderful institution and the Theatre Royal family. I’m like many other directors, writers and artists and audiences who have felt so respected and encouraged by this building regardless of our backgrounds.
You could say that I was adopted by this theatre and by Philip and his secretary Sylvie Webb who was also Joan’s Secretary, and Kate Williams who ran the Variety Nights often with Evey Edgle and John Halstead causing havoc around her - and Betty Scuhley who was upstairs in accounts and gave us our wages every Friday in brown paper envelopes. I know I don’t look old enough do I?
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Philip was here as Joan’s assistant for many years and I too was Philip’s assistant before getting the big job. So I am thrilled both professionally and privately that in Joan’s centenary year we’ve been able to mark her achievements in this way. And it’s a year in which we have remounted 2 of her MANY iconic shows: Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’Be and the ground breaking Oh What a Lovely War.
It’s a year in which Stella Duffy has reimagined Joan and Cedric Prices’s Fun Palaces for a second year which ignites organisations, teachers, communities and scientists around the country to do their versions of what a Fun Palace could be – This weekend HUNDREDS of them are happening all over the country.
And in this year the Royal Mail commemorate Joan with a new first class stamp. And with Oberon Books we published her official biography DREAMS AND REALITY by Peter Rankin, who was one of Joan’s assistants and another of her close friends.
I am often asked if I met her. I did – briefly, twice. The second time was at the memorial for the Director and Writer Ken Hill. He was another remarkable show-maker like Joan.
When I met her – both times - I was so nervous I couldn’t actually make eye contact. Looking back I was nervous because I knew of her work, I knew that she revolutionised British Theatre, I knew of her reputation and I’d heard so many stories about her. Mainly from the actors she worked with, many of whom are here today.
And most importantly I had just discovered her Manifesto. Actually it’s the Theatre Workshop Company Manifesto, which her actors were all a part of and it was a company and building that was managed by her late partner Gerry Raffles. And it was that manifesto and those words that changed my professional life. I 2
have her manifesto by my desk and I know other members of staff also keep a copy close by too. Including Karen Fisher our associate producer who has done an amazing job in getting all this to this point today. Karen, thank you so much for all your hard work.
The other person who has Joan’s manifesto on her wall by her desk is Jan SharkeyDodds who heads up our Young People’s work. Last year we worked with over 1000 young people in a dedicated and specific way. I’m very proud of our work with young people and also our work in supporting new artists.
All of that, along with our commitment to be as accessible as possible to everyone – regardless of where they have come from or what school they went to and how little money they have in their pockets - is Joan’s legacy and Philip’s legacy and now it’s our legacy.
I’m going to ask Jo Melville, one of our board members and an performer and writer and director, as well as being of the many artists who have grown up through this building, to read Joan’s Manifesto now*.
Thank you Jo. This sculpture has been a long time coming. Murray Melvin is an original member of the Theatre Workshop Company and he first had the idea and presented it to Sir Robin Wales, our elected Mayor, some years back and everyone was so very grateful that the world famous and renowned sculpture Philip Jackson agreed to take on the commission. Thank you so much Philip.
And what’s also touched our hearts, but wasn’t really a surprise, has been the huge public support that we received when we launched our public fundraising campaign which Murray and Barbara Winsor fronted for us. I know a lot of you who gave to that campaign are here today. Thank you all so much. I hope you have a lovely day with us. 3
BUT special thanks goes to the Sally Banks and Tony Banks Memorial Trust, the Strafford Renaissance Partnership and Newham Council who even now in very tough economic times have been unwavering in their support for this building and everything we are trying to do for and with, our community. I’d now like to ask Sir Robin Wales to say a few words… Thank you Robin.
I’d like to introduce Murray Melvin to the stage. The story goes that Philip asked if you would sort out a suitcase of old papers and scripts which were the property of the late and much loved original Theatre Workshop member Avis Bunnage. That was over 24 years ago and now Murray, with his important assistant Mary Ling, is our archivist and a very dear friend. Ladies and gentlemen. Mr Murray Melvin.
Ok I think it’s time. But before I ask our very special guest to unveil the Sculpture, I need to say that after the unveiling everyone is invited to our new bar Gerry’s which is just over there for tea and cake. And then at 2pm in the Picturehouse we have a free screening of Sparrows Can’t Sing, the one feature film Joan directed.
And at 5pm in the theatre there are still some tickets left to buy for A JOAN JAMBOREE. A variety show hosted by Wendi Peters and Marcus Ellard. With lots of acts, singing and great fun and East London Brass who have been playing this morning. That starts at 5pm.
I’d now like to invite Alex Jarrett to the stage. Alex joined our youth theatre at 12 years old and is now 15. Alex. Alex, there’s lots on your CV, more than some actors twice your age. I hear you’re going up for Newham Young Mayor? Are you on the campaign trail now? Sal is going to play us a fanfare then it’s over to you to pull hard on the cord. Ok, so two days before Joan's birthday, which if you didn’t know is on Tuesday, and in her centenary year, Sal let's have that fanfare please…. 4
Barbara would you please do the honours and cut the cake? Ok while we’re taking some photos let’s get the cake cut in Gerry’s. Thank you everyone for coming. Have a great day.
* See next page for the Theatre Workshop Manifesto 5
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