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Jasmine enjoyed a spot of West End theatre when she saw the 100th performance of the successful production Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

RECENTLY, MOBO founder Kanya King invited me to join her as her guest to go and see the 100th performance of the West End theatre production Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Kanya and I have known each other for years; since back in the day when she was a TV researcher and I was a presenter on the Channel 4 show The Word. Over the years, she and I have moved through the industry and caught up with each other over girlie dinners after late night meetings and edits.

We were well overdue for our 2010 catch up, so when she called and asked if I’d like to accompany her to Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, I was there. Besides, I had been meaning to go and see the show from last year when my teenage heroine Debbie Allen (who played the amazing dance teacher Miss Grant in Fame) had been in town with Mariah and told me to go and watch it as she was the director of the show. Once I’d been forcibly removed from Debbie’s presence – as I couldn’t stop clinging to her, shrieking, ‘I love you, I wanted to be you, adopt me’ – Debbie gave me her at email details (under duress) and I promised her I would be going to see the show the first chance I got.

The theatre was heaving with a very diverse audience when we arrived and we were immediately introduced to the show’s producer Stephen C Byrd – a very sophisticated man who was a real charmer. Stephen is currently the only black producer on Broadway and kudos to him as Cat on a Hot Tin Roof was the biggest grossing play on Broadway in 2008!

So when we were ushered to our seats and I noticed we were sitting right next to the show’s producers, I was paranoid about the usual theatre worries. What if I fall asleep? What if I look bored? Thankfully, none of that worry was necessary as the play was intense and immediately intriguing. US actress Sanaa Lathan was wonderful as the long-suffering wife of a one-time football commentator turned alcoholic. She had really long monologues but she dealt with them with easily and was unexpectedly funny too. British actor Adrian Lester played the lead man and whilst his character didn’t say much, he did have an intensity that was mesmerizing. Still, it did jolt every now and then as his deep south accent kept getting taken over by his English accent. I thought I might have been imagining it until later at the post show VIP drinks reception when others commented on it too.

The other two actors I loved were, of course, the legend that is James Earl Jones who played Big Daddy. This man’s voice has to be bottled for history. He provided the voice of Star Wars’ Darth Vader, The Lion King’s Mufasa and Alex Haley in Roots! But the time I most enjoyed hearing his voice is when he was reading the Bible. Let me explain…

I found it very difficult to read the Bible as a kid, but years ago, when I first met Mariah, she introduced me to a Bible audio book read completely by James Earl Jones. His calming and trusting voice is just wonderful. He didn’t disappoint in the play either, playing the rich, cancer-stricken former slave.

I was also really looking forward to seeing actress Phylicia Rashad, who played the legendary Mrs Clair Huxtable in The Cosby Show. She was great in the production, playing Big Mamma, the sweet mother that many of us can relate to.

The play was long and it was very intense. The storyline features the themes of sibling rivalry, inheritance, greed, parental antagonism and mendacity, and the show was very good. Post-show in the bar, there was a nice mix of journalists, paparazzi, actors, celebs and so on. A few bitchy folks were slagging off Richard Blackwood who played a butler in the show and barely had two words to say. They couldn’t believe he had taken this as the next step in his career. But I thought it was a good look as now he can add West End theatre to his CV.

Straight afterwards, the producers invited us to join them at the Ivy club restaurant, which we had to ourselves, and at midnight, we all had a lovely dinner. There were ten of us on the table and the various discussions revolved around private island ownerships, their private jets and so forth. I felt proud of them. Their stories gave a true sense of how much hard work must have gone into their lives. More power to them!

At 2am, I watched them all jump into their private chauffeured cars, Kanya got into a cab and hobbled into the underground car park to get my own car to drive myself home. I thought about the people, complete with their surreal lives, that I sometimes find myself surrounded by.

If you’ve yet to see Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, I’d thoroughly recommend it. In fact, a charity I wholeheartedly support, the ACLT (African Caribbean Leukemia Trust) is having a one off ACLT night show on March 15th. That will be great night full of faces we all know and love. What better excuse for a great night than to support a worthy cause? I salute the cast of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Bravo!

Email Jasmine at jasmine@hiphop.com

Published: 31 December 1979
Issue: 1413

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