6th July 2019
So this was a party that I wasn't sure what to make of going
in, but wow did I enjoy it!
A Rent Party was a party back in 1950s America to help young
black Americans pay their rent.
Thankfully I didn't need to go to America to go to this
party! (It would have killed me in these heels.)
It's a play like no other and I don't think I'll see a play
like it ever in my life again - you can only see this once.
We were given sweets and vouchers to give to the performers
when each of them had performed. This is a great idea and it brought the
interaction level up, not just between the performers and the audience but the
audience with each other.
It's a play based around true life and the three main people
tell their stories about being young, gifted and black.
Usually they have a 4th member of the team called Camille
but she was absent as she is just about to have her second baby.
Her dream is to play Dolores Van Cartier in Sister Act - and
I do love my musicals!
There were games to play like pass the parcel (called Pass
the Duchy).
There was limbo which was funny as owt - but not what you
think it would be, and it had audience participation.
There were party bags for the kids and stickers for everyone
else, not forgetting the shots for the over 18s in the audience who toasted
many things even Brexit (which went down like a lead balloon).
Jason - who looked gorgeous and whose makeup was on fleek -
tells their story about how their bf kept locking them in the house so they
couldn't get to work.
They all worked in the musical Starlight Express - which
would be why they are so good on roller skates (they can do jumps and
everything!).
Lena is a dancer and used to come up with dances with her
two little sisters while she studied at uni. Her family is important to
her. And wow can she dance!
Tolu is one of the best musicians and he sings one of my
favourite songs from the musical Charlie and the chocolate factory (Pure
Imagination). He not only sings it well but puts his own twist on it which had me
drawn to him. He talks about how his parents came from Nigeria and how he would
love to be able to take his partner back to his homeland but doesn't think he
will be able to.
The host of the Rent Party is Stuart Bowden who tells us
about one event in his life where he went to his step sister's christening and
was collared by all four mums of his 12 step siblings.
He got called a little coconut which for him wasn't that a
big of a deal but his mother was offended and I can guess he didn't see his dad
for a long time after that incident! (Black on the outside, White on the
inside!!!!).
The Director of the piece Darren Pritchard was a part of the
cast helping to fill in the void that Camille had left.
This play/party was great and it was funny from minute one
to the end. It has lots of audience involvement, and we were even allowed to have
a dance.
It is part of the Curious Arts Festival allowing LGBTQI
artists to put on their work. (I'm hopeful you might see some of my work in
their Autumn programme).
This show is definitely one to see, it will live long in my memory.
Rubes Hiles
Actors -
Lena I Russell
Darren Pritchard
Jason guest
Tolu
Stuart Bowden
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