{"id":407,"date":"2018-01-29T17:53:46","date_gmt":"2018-01-29T17:53:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/catchingstories.infamousarts.co.uk\/?page_id=407"},"modified":"2018-01-29T17:53:46","modified_gmt":"2018-01-29T17:53:46","slug":"chris-wakefield-banner-tribute","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/catchingstories.infamousarts.co.uk\/?page_id=407","title":{"rendered":"Chris Wakefield Banner Tribute"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thanks for the Memories<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

by<\/span><\/b>\u00a0Chris Wakefield<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Presentation for the\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Catching Stories<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Banner\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Reunion\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Day<\/span><\/b>,\u00a0<\/span><\/b>30<\/span><\/b>\u00a0September 2017<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Chris Wakefield co-founded Banner Theatre in 1973. During her time with Banner, she performed in shows as an actor, musician and singer. She also wrote songs and compile scripts for shows, as well as carrying out research, interviews, transcriptions and many of the numerous tasks required for putting on, booking and touring productions. She did all of this as a member of both the Main Group of community performers, and the Core Group \u2013 that is to say the smaller team of professional theatre workers that emerged from the Main Group. She was also one of the first coordinators for Banner\u2019s Handsworth Community Project.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

My name is Chris Wakefield, formerly Chris Rogers, and I was\u00a0<\/span>one of Banner\u2019s founder members. I was also\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>member\u00a0<\/span>of the company\u00a0<\/span>for 11 years from 1973-1984. In common with many of the early members of Banner, I came to the group via the Grey Cock Folk Club, having been in<\/span>troduced to folk music and the c<\/span>lub<\/span>\u00a0in 1968<\/span>\u00a0by Roy Palmer, who was\u00a0<\/span>Head of the French Department at<\/span>\u00a0the school where I wa<\/span>s on teaching practice.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Dave and I soon became residents at the Grey Cock and started to develop our song repertoire and work on instrumentation. We also took part in<\/span>\u00a0some of<\/span>\u00a0the club\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0drama<\/span>\u00a0production<\/span>s, for example,<\/span>\u00a0a mumming play cal<\/span>led<\/span>\u00a0\u201cSaint\u00a0<\/span>George and the Dragon\u201d<\/span>. However, in 1971, along with Pam an<\/span>d Alan (Bishop) we went<\/span>\u00a0overland<\/span>\u00a0to India<\/span>, and Dave and I only returned to Birmingham and the folk club in August 1972.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>In 1973 we were invited to take part in a \u201cone-off\u201d performance of\u00a0<\/span>\u201cThe Collier Laddie\u201d, a\u00a0<\/span>dramatis<\/span>ation<\/span>, with the added dimension of slides,<\/span>\u00a0of the Radio Ballad, \u201cThe Big\u00a0<\/span>Hewer<\/span>\u201d<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0which was directed by<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Rhoma<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Bowdler<\/span>. The performance was a great success, and, through contacts that Charles Parker had<\/span>\u00a0developed<\/span>\u00a0in the mining communities whilst recording the actu<\/span>ality for the Radio Ballad,<\/span>\u00a0we ended up touring the show throughout the coalfields, from Kent to Durham<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0Yorkshire<\/span>\u00a0to South Wales, performing in Miners\u2019 Welfares, Community Centres, and at Miner<\/span>s\u2019<\/span>\u00a0Galas<\/span>. Banner<\/span>\u00a0Theatre<\/span>\u00a0was born!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Banner was an exciting development at that time, in that it was quite different from other political theatre groups. First of all, the shows used actuality, the actual words of the mining community, talkin<\/span>g about their industry,<\/span>\u00a0history, culture, traditions and way of life. Secondly,\u00a0<\/span>they<\/span>\u00a0used a combination of traditional songs from that community and new songs written in the style of traditional folk music. Thirdly, the shows were played against a constantly changing backdrop of slides, back-projected\u00a0<\/span>onto a huge screen behind the performers, which complemented or commented on the action on stage. Fourthly, all the members of the cast were amateurs,<\/span>\u00a0most of\u00a0<\/span>whom<\/span>\u00a0had fulltime jobs in a variety of fields<\/span>\u00a0of work<\/span>, and<\/span>\u00a0many<\/span>\u00a0of whom were<\/span>\u00a0from working cl<\/span>ass backgrounds.<\/span>\u00a0The Bob\u00a0<\/span>Etheridges<\/span>\u00a0and Jo<\/span>an Smiths of this world gave a great authenticity to Banner productions.\u00a0<\/span>Banner became a close, committed and united group, as its members had<\/span>\u00a0known each other and worked together a<\/span>t the Grey Cock for many years.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Life as a Banner member was<\/span>\u00a0frankly<\/span>\u00a0chaotic. In those early years, Dave and I were residents at the Grey Cock, ran a Music Workshop on a Monday evening, recorded and transcribed actuality for new shows<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>wrote<\/span>\u00a0scripts and songs<\/span>, rehearsed and performed both with Banner and the Grey Cock<\/span>\u00a0and the Banner Song Group<\/span>, not to mention trying to scrape a living as nobody<\/span>\u00a0in Banner<\/span>\u00a0received any payment<\/span>\u00a0at that stage. Many of us remember that fateful Friday evening performance of \u201cCollier Laddie\u201d in South Wales when we started the show with two carloads of the cast missing<\/span>!\u00a0<\/span>Charlie<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[1]<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>had<\/span>\u00a0arr<\/span>anged a performance for 7.30pm<\/span>, assuring everyone the journey to<\/span>ok under\u00a0<\/span>two<\/span>\u00a0hours; quite possibly<\/span>, the way he drove, but not for anyone leaving work in the middle of the<\/span>\u00a0weekend<\/span>\u00a0Birmingham rush-hour! By 7.40<\/span>pm,\u00a0<\/span>it was decided the show must go on, and I remember the feeling of total panic as I had to sing<\/span>\u00a0verses of songs I had only ever heard<\/span>\u00a0before and play accompaniments<\/span>\u00a0I had<\/span>\u00a0never before attempted. Oh<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0the relief<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0when 20 minutes later one carload appeared, and<\/span>\u00a0shadowy figures<\/span>\u00a0crept to take their places on stage, followed\u00a0<\/span>15 minutes later by the rest of<\/span>\u00a0the cast!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>I was performing \u201cCollier Laddie\u201d when I was eight months pregnant, taking my hospital bag with me to performances\u00a0<\/span>in case I went into labour, and<\/span>, one month later, when Katherine was born, Charlie came to visit me in hospital bearing a beautiful baby dress,\u00a0<\/span>which must have cost him an arm and a leg, a tape recorder and a huge set of headphones, a wodge of A4 paper, pe<\/span>ns, a l<\/span>arge Spanish Dictionary and\u00a0<\/span>two<\/span>\u00a0V<\/span>ictor\u00a0<\/span>Jar<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0tapes for me to translate into English in preparation for the\u00a0<\/span>nex<\/span>t\u00a0 show<\/span>, \u201cViva Chile\u201d. Well, he clearly thought I<\/span>\u00a0had nothing better to do! The d<\/span>ay I came out of hospital, I discovered there was<\/span>\u00a0to be<\/span>\u00a0a rehearsal for the<\/span>\u00a0new<\/span>\u00a0show; my script\u00a0<\/span>had been highlighted ready for me<\/span>, and a list of accompaniments<\/span>\u00a0included that\u00a0<\/span>needed<\/span>\u00a0to be worked<\/span>\u00a0on. The only concession to having a\u00a0<\/span>new-born<\/span>\u00a0baby was that we were rehearsing in our living room instead of some cold and dismal rehearsal room!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>So why did I do it, you may ask? A lot of us must have asked ourselves the same<\/span>\u00a0question!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Primarily because I believed in what we were doing culturally and politically.<\/span>\u00a0Banner shows carried a powerful message and reached audiences<\/span>\u00a0who rarely, if\u00a0<\/span>ever, went to the theatre.<\/span>\u00a0Being involved in researching, writing and performing new shows was<\/span>\u00a0also<\/span>\u00a0exciting<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>stimulating but<\/span>\u00a0could<\/span>\u00a0be a mixed blessing!<\/span>\u00a0Charlie came from a background in\u00a0<\/span>Radio,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Rhoma<\/span>\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0field of expertise was Drama, which created an \u201cinteresting\u201d dynamic.<\/span>\u00a0Charlie would often come along to script<\/span>–<\/span>writing sessions with a superb but lengthy piece of actuality, and\u00a0<\/span>Rhoma<\/span>\u00a0would<\/span>\u00a0vehemently<\/span>\u00a0insist that, theatrically, you could not\u00a0<\/span>include such a solid<\/span>\u00a0wodge of\u00a0<\/span>mate<\/span>rial, however brilliant, in a\u00a0<\/span>dramatic pr<\/span>e<\/span>sentation<\/span>. This would invariable result in a full-scale row, with Charlie walking out shouting that he was finished with Banner, only to appear the next day with a significantly pared down piece of text!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>It is impossible to sum up 11 years of working with Banner in 10 minutes. Over the years<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0I developed skills in recording and transcribing actuality, writing scripts, performing in shows,\u00a0<\/span>song-writing<\/span>, singing and instrumentation, administration, tour organising and fundraising<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0for which I will be eternally grateful. I was Project Co-ordinator for the Handsworth Project<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[2]<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and ran their music workshop for several years. I was involved in two Women\u2019s Shows in which our fantastic group of women wrote<\/span>\u00a0and performed<\/span>\u00a0the shows, arranged bookings, loaded and drove the van to\u00a0<\/span>gigs, put up the set,<\/span>\u00a0did all the\u00a0<\/span>technical<\/span>s<\/span>, and conducted the post-performance discussions,<\/span>\u00a0all this<\/span>\u00a0despite some of the Banner men saying we would never manage it without their involvement! We did, a<\/span>nd did they have<\/span>\u00a0to eat their words!\u00a0<\/span>Over those 11 years<\/span>, there were periods of time when we had three shows in repertoire, the majority of whose performers<\/span>\u00a0were in the Main Group and<\/span>\u00a0had full-time jobs,<\/span>\u00a0an amazing and talented group of friends<\/span>, whose energy and commitment were astonishing.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>In conclusion, I would like to express my thanks to them and<\/span>\u00a0also<\/span>\u00a0the following people.\u00a0<\/span>First of all, to<\/span>\u00a0all<\/span>\u00a0the Banner children, and especially ours.<\/span>\u00a0What a chaotic, frenetic but rich<\/span>\u00a0and stimulating<\/span>\u00a0life they were subjected to!\u00a0<\/span>Yet<\/span>\u00a0some<\/span>how they all grew up to be balanced, talented and committed adults. I was tempted to illustrate this b<\/span>y playing a home recording of Katherine aged seven, Keith aged three and a half and myself singing \u201c<\/span>Shosholoza<\/span>\u201d in three<\/span>–<\/span>part harmony, but they<\/span>\u00a0really<\/span>\u00a0would never have<\/span>\u00a0forgiven me if I had!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Secondly to Dave for his\u00a0<\/span>ongoing<\/span>\u00a0dedication to Banner.<\/span>\u00a0In 2018 he will have been involved in the company for 45 years, a life-sentence some might say. I have no doubt that<\/span>\u00a0if there were to be<\/span>\u00a0ano<\/span>ther reunion<\/span>\u00a0in twenty years\u2019 time, heaven forbid, when we would all be here on our crutches and Zimmer frames, Dave would still be slaving away on the next Banner production!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>And last,\u00a0<\/span>but not least, I wish<\/span>\u00a0to thank Jacqueline and Dean for undertaking this important project and organising today\u2019s reunion and superb exhibition. They have given voice to many of Banner\u2019s past members, myself included<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>who<\/span>\u00a0would otherwise have been voiceless.\u00a0<\/span>On behalf of those people, many of whom are here today, our grateful and sincere thanks.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Chris Wakefield<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

30 September 2017<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[1]<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Charles Parker was known as Charlie to his friends<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[2]<\/span>\u00a0Banner Theatre started the Handsworth Project in 1979 as community-based initiative to engage a broad cross-section of Handsworth residents in researching and celebrating the rich multicultural history of the borough. The Handsworth Project first involved pupils from local\u00a0<\/span>schools,<\/span>\u00a0then drew from groups of unemployed young adults. Together with musicians, song-writers, photographers, technicians and drama workers from Banner, they created a number of community plays reflecting their experiences, and based on the company\u2019s \u201cactuality\u201d methodology. The Handsworth Project ran until 1990.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Thanks for the Memories\u00a0 by\u00a0Chris Wakefield\u00a0 \u00a0 Presentation for the\u00a0Catching Stories\u00a0and\u00a0Banner\u00a0Reunion\u00a0Day,\u00a030\u00a0September 2017\u00a0 \u00a0 Chris Wakefield co-founded Banner Theatre in 1973. During her time with Banner, she performed in shows as an actor, musician and singer. She also wrote songs and compile scripts for shows, as well as carrying out research, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-407","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nChris Wakefield Banner Tribute -<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/catchingstories.infamousarts.co.uk\/?page_id=407\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Chris Wakefield Banner Tribute -\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Thanks for the Memories\u00a0 by\u00a0Chris Wakefield\u00a0 \u00a0 Presentation for the\u00a0Catching Stories\u00a0and\u00a0Banner\u00a0Reunion\u00a0Day,\u00a030\u00a0September 2017\u00a0 \u00a0 Chris Wakefield co-founded Banner Theatre in 1973. 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