Streets Paved with Gold has been an idea or concept in my mind for years after creating my fashion show, Fashion through the Ages back in the 80s. I kept asking myself, ‘how can I turn a twenty person fashion show into a one man play?’ but it never happened until I started drama at Sandfields College in Nottingham in 1994 – 1996, that’s when the opportunity and the technical know-how came.

It was in the last six month of the course. One day all 20 students got the news that we were all to form our own groups, then write, produce and direct our own plays whatever we wanted to do. I remember looking around the room at my peers’ faces and I could see from their body language that most of them were not comfortable with the idea at first, I could see they were already deciding which of their friends or the best actors or actresses that they wanted to have in their group long before the tutors finish explaining the brief. As for me being very much the loner of the group, and far from being one of the experienced actors I knew that I was going to be either left on the shelf, or in the background of someone’s group with a few lines here and there, but some how I could see this was my opportunity of a lifetime, it was now or never. The tutors gave us all a short time to think about it. After a few weeks, all the groups had to take their idea to the panel to explain their ideas and how they were going to do it. We all were given £50 to go towards any cost, not a lot of money but that was the deal. The idea was that we were to carry out four performances, the first to be at the studio theatre in the college the other three had to be in the community like a school, theatre, pub or street performance etc. And we could include any T.I.E format (Theatre in Education), which some groups did.  I was the only person who decided to work on my own.

I remember the day the panel of tutors surprisingly gave me the permission to go ahead to create my one-man play ‘Streets Paved with Gold’.  I was nervous as hell when I first went into the meeting and sat on the chair in the middle of the room, but soon after they started firing questions, but I was more than prepared to answer. I felt that I was about to fight for the right to express my identity and culture. If they had denied me that right then I would have failed, the play may never have become a reality today. At that moment, an air of confidence came over me and has never left me since that day. The kind of questions they asked me were “What is the story going to be about and from what angle?” “Which target groups is the play aimed at in the community?”  “What are the benefits?” “Will you develop a workshop package to go with it?” “ Will the play have a shelf life if any?”

I truly believed somewhere in my heart that I could do this if I put my heart, mind and soul into this, then I could develop the confidence if they give me the opportunity, support and directions. I may never know what my tutors had seen in me at the time to take such a risk but I would always be eternally grateful to them. I will always remember the tutorial and theatre director Geoff Bullen who teaches at Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, said to me one day, ‘You will never be an all-round actor for Shakespeare, but you will never be out of work either because you never sit around waiting for work to come to you. You will go out and find it.’ His words have stuck with me till this day after more than 15 years. I’m only now beginning to realise and understand what he meant.

Writing the play wasn’t very difficult, because it’s like writing from my memories. When I looked into my mind, everything was already there. A lot of my inspiration to write this play came from my mother, farther our family and friends that I grew up with over the years, so there was not a great deal of research to do in that respect. What I had to do was to have the confidence to bring it out and put it on paper. I did some research by finding a variety of stories by listening to different people and obtaining more facts of British African Caribbean history from the archives in libraries. Internet wasn’t popular then, I actually had to move around and meet people. It was a very interesting and exciting time for me to find the information not just for writing my play, but also for discovering my roots and stories that have never been told.

I found the tutors at college and my close friends were very helpful for the process of my writing. They gave me a lot of ideas. In fact it seems there was too much information at which sometimes became difficult and frustrating to deal with in deciding which way I should go or what to do. In the end, I just decided that I had to follow my heart and trust my instincts. It was a time when I was reminded how important good friends were to me and how the decision I made would have such an impact on this project and my life as an actor.

Eventually I managed to complete the story. I remember creating as many as three or four draft of the script which seemed like a never ending process, then the creation for the character of an old man for this play, whose name is ‘Augustus Cleavland Johnson’ and his wife Mable who passed away a few years before in the story. He was probably like my uncle in his 70s, funny loud and stubborn. I worked so hard to develop his habits, the cough, old National Health glasses, old second hand black trilby hat, a pair of 50s gray trousers, 50s white rolled up shirt sleeves, dark blue waist coat with a gold waist coat pocket watch on a chain, even down to the way he danced. It took time to learn the script, and studying night and day became a way of life. It took about 6 months to complete the project. My tutorial tutor Geoff Bullen helped me so much with the acting side and the props in the opening scene. He asked me questions like, “Where is the character coming from?” “Where is he now?” “What time is it?” “What is he doing in the living room?” “Why is he packing his and his wife old clothes and shoes?” “Where is he going?” The character is coming from the Mr. Singh’s shop on the corner with a loaf of white bread, a tin of tomato soup and a tin of Guinness, that’s what came out of this process.

I remember when it came to putting the props together, I realised that all I need was old stuff such as old grips (suitcases), old shoes, old clothes, black and white photographs. The cost to put my first set together was about £50. Probably the best investment I’ve ever made in my life, I still use most of the props today apart from those I have had to replace over the years through wear and tear.

After 6 month of creating my first play, eventually the day came when I had to perform my very first ever performance of my one-man play Streets Paved with Gold at the studio theatre in the college. To tell you the truth, I lost half the script during the performance. I was sweating like a pig and was nervous as anyone could be. It was like months of practice and hard work had just gone out of my head. My mind was a blank at times, the script kept going and coming in my mind. My peers in the audience could see this but they were willing me to keep going. I managed to complete the play. It was probably the hardest thing I ever put myself through at the time to become something that I now can do in my sleep anywhere anytime any place at a drop of a hat.

I will never forget the round of applause that came afterwards and my friends coming to me with tears in their eyes saying ‘That was brilliant, well done’. I knew that it wasn’t then but it could only get better and I would go on from strength to strength from that day onwards.

One of my tutors Ava Hunt who became my friend and co-director later for my second and third plays entitled Return to the Caribbean and Children of the First Generation, recommended me to meet someone whom I didn’t know and who would changed my life forever, his name Tony Graves. He was then the African Arts Producer at the Nottingham Playhouse (now a principle lecturer Arts Management at De Montfort University in Leicester). I had to convince him that I could do this for the public. After he read the script of my play ‘Streets Paved with Gold’, he would give me a break to perform it in the foyer in the Playhouse under one condition that I develop the some areas of the story a little more, and that it had to be ready by the deadline that he set at the time. That was a challenge I needed.  The performance was a big success but nowhere near brilliant, I was very nervous but I got through it. That was my first so-called professional performance, I was paid £100. It was a lot of money for me at the time. The sort of thing you never forget in your life. Tony has since become a good friend and mentor over the years. This was the beginning of  ‘Streets Paved with Gold’.

Since then, the play has been growing in statue and reputation over the years and developed through having a variety of opportunities. I performed at community centres, day centres, theatres such as the Ovalhouse Theatre in London for 7 nights, conferences, universities, pubs, prisons and the play has firmly confirmed in place in schools as part of the workshops in very unique way and a host of other challenging venues where the play has proved its weight in gold time and time again over the years. It’s just a wonderful feeling to have people calling and asking to book the play year in year out. Just think, I started developing and practicing this play in my living room over 15 years ago, I could never imagine then how this play could go on to become an national and international play in its own right. It was as if I was given a passport to leisure to travel around the U.K and the world e.g. France and Barbados even as far as Japan.

When we all look back over the last 60 years of our parents’ lives or even in our own lifetime, what has really changed since those early pioneering years apart from improving science and technology? Interesting thing is old fashion clothes, accessories and music in a lot of ways are all coming back again in one form or another.

As one teacher and old friend said to me when I tried to introduce my new poetry production at the time “I Spy through the worlds eye” to him, he said ‘Victor, your Streets Paved with Gold is needed in schools more now than it was 15 years ago’

Nottinghamshire Next Stage Diploma course at Sandfield Centre, that’s where I studied drama in 1994 – 1996. It was a strange but fascinating place to me, filled with constant on going classes of one art form or another, students coming and going, tutorials discussion, long weekend session and master classes of the finniest art minds from Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. The Tutors would come to put us through our paces, it was a world where anything and everything was possible. I loved every minute every moment of it. That’s the place I discovered the art of freedom and expression.

 Confidence, voice and timing were everything in order to survive there. You had to bear all things.  ‘No pain no gain!’  We studied plays and learned the art and craft of performance. Your mind, memory and every little thought process were put to the test day and night. It’s not a place for the faint hearted or the meek who are not prepared to do battle on the stage of life to bear all for the world to see and hear. Knowing full well that the master himself, the Director, and your peers were watching every mistake you make, that was every actor’s nightmare, having a mental memory blank which happens to the best of us at least a hundred times in our life time, then the night of the first performance where the audience hang on to every word you say, hold their breath watching, listen for that very nearly mistake or bad timing and perfection, flowing and enjoying the story of the act with interest.

 As the performance is coming to an end, we all breath a sigh of relief, then after all the worries and stress of the college term comes to an end, hoping everything goes well on the night, glad that you did not brake a leg or fall over your words too many times. Lights and curtains go down, then up again, we all take our bows. The applause from the audience tells you how much they really appreciate you. You feel the love and support out there. It’s hard to explain that feeling.  We leave the stage one last time, then we give each other hugs and kisses, share words of encouragement, have a drink or two, then everyone goes home. With the first performance out of the way, we can all get a good night’s sleep. The next day we wake up feeling good, you get that feeling coming over you. ‘You can’t wait to do it all over again’ the next day. That was my first taste of theatre and still is today.

I met so many wonderful friends, talented students and tutors. It was one of the happiest times and most life-changing periods in my life. The director of Professional Theatre and Training, David Johnston, an associate lecturer Ava Hunt remain friends today. Geoff Bullen, was Course Director of productions and the diploma course  inspired my dreams in believing that I could do my first historic one man play ‘Streets Paved with Gold’ not just well, but successfully.

 For me, I always remember my late parents this time of the year. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here. I love to show my appreciation and respect by remembering them.

 Remember mama, remember papa,

check out your family, discover your history….

(from my poem ‘Remember mama, remember papa’)

I never really understood why I had developed this great passion for our parents’ music, dance, fashion and food. Listening to their stories of back home growing up in the Caribbean was fascinating for me, along with their words of wisdom and their advice to us as children growing up.

 My mother passed away four years ago. Her life was filled with fun, jokes, laughter, good food and music.  I always remember the way they dance, not forgetting the cursing and arguments they had every other day, along with a good healthy church life. I believe that these memories had such a profound impact on my life. I knew deep down in my heart, one day soon, all of our parents lives and much more will fade away into a distant memory with very little documentation apart from what has been documented in the last 60 years, after all their challenges, struggles and pioneering hard work, when they first came to Great Britain ‘the mother country’. This is the main theme of my work ‘The Windrush Story’. 

The SS Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Dock (London) on 22 June 1948, carrying 492 passengers from Jamaica wishing to start a new life in the U.K. The passengers were the first large group of West Indian immigranting to the UK after the Second World War. My parents were amongs those who migrated to the country in the 50’s. I wrote a trilogy of one man plays around this theme,  ‘Streets Paved with Gold’ ‘Return to the Caribbean’ and ‘Children of the First Generation’ I will be writing my stories on what inspired me to write these plays in the future.

If you are interested in finding out more about the Windrush history and the background, watch the Youtube video clips ‘Windrush Story’ from my homepage. I believe that you will find it very interesting and educational especially good for schools.

The year 2012 is a time of uncertainty with the whole world’s economical climate creating instability for the majority of people. It is my feeling that we need to appreciate the memories of our parents a lot more in order to get back to traditional values of respect.

… Now times are changing, new faces appear, she’s seen them before but it was not here. She can hear the new lives as the old disappear, and hope is tinged with a sigh. Uncertainty looms as the path becomes clear, now the streets of gold are fading near…

(from my poem ‘Streets Paved with Gold’)

Like so many young black men and women left schools without any or enough qualifications in the mid 70s, then we began to realise that we were going to continue in the footsteps of our parents, doing the hardest jobs working in the factories, hospitals, hosieries, catering and building sites, seeing how hard and honest they had to work to keep us clothed and fed, going to school and church, and making sure we stayed out of trouble.

I simply wanted to do something different with my life and hopefully in the process I can make my mum and dad feel proud of me one day. I knew that it was not going to be easy the day I told my mother that I wanted to be a fashion model. She simply went nuts, I mean ‘really crazy’, she was so mad at me. I thought I was going to get a beating. She didn’t understand what I was trying to do at the time, she just expected me to go into the factory, so in order to cool down the situation, I decided to go and work in the hotel industry for 7 years. I did not know how to get into modelling at the time anyway, also it did cross my mind that maybe I was dreaming.

But I never gave up my dream of becoming a fashion model one day, as the years went by, my opportunity finally came by getting in to a local Modelling School in Leicester for 12 weeks. I got my passing out certificate, from then on there was no turning back. With my mother’s blessing and support, I quickly rose through the ranks as they say traveling up and down the country, joining modelling agencies in the U.K., Amsterdam and Paris, building my experiences and making friends along the way. I began to realised that I had an eye and ear for good timing, and the confidence to become a choreographer, but soon I realised I would be faced with the same old stereotype casting as our parents went through. It made me angry and frustrated to see how tough it was for black models trying to break through and getting into fashion magazines of the day at the time.

I began to do more lucrative shows for Marks and Spenser or C&A. One day when I was talking to a friend in Amsterdam in a restaurant, he was a hair dresser from Suriname in South America. He asked me the question ‘How long are you going to keep coming and going between the U.K. and Amsterdam?’ That was when I decided to give up my agencies in Amsterdam and I came back to the U.K. to start my own business as ‘V Jay Promotions’ as it was then, through the enterprise allowance scheme through the bank which led to my first major project, “Fashion through the Ages” a fashion show telling the stories of our parents, through their music, clothes and dance styles from the 50s through to the 90s with blue beat, ska, reggae, jazz and soul, with a running commentary.

Do you remember platform shoes with flared trousers, tank top, afro wigs and the music ‘Young Gifted and Black’ by Bob and Marcia, Desmond Decker ‘Israelites’, Nina Simone “My baby just cares for me”? The show was a big hit with the general public at Porsche Club in Birmingham. It brought back memories. Everybody on the night had so much fun and laughter. My friends and family talked about it for weeks. I knew I was on to a winner.

The show was captured on video packaged and marketed for schools and the community at large for all to see. The DVD is now available from my shopping page.

These were my humble beginnings, which led to the next stage of my developing career.

Remember, our journey in life is about progress not perfection, progress is evolutionary not revolutionary.

WISHING YOU ALL VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I’m looking back my 15 years now, so many memories come to my mind. All of my sweet and bitter experiences I had are so precious because they made me strong, confident, humble, ambitious and generous. My words cannot express enough to appreciate for all those people who helped me in the past.

I have achieved my dreams in many ways. I would like to share with you,  my experiences, my dreams and my observation of people, community, society and the world through this blog weekly. Please watch this space !  Your comments are welcome!