The Windrush Generation in the Rag Trade
“A man is incomplete until he’s married and then he’s really finished.”
Walker
This play by Michael Abbensetts was first seen in 1978 and is set in Carnaby Street in the West End where the Swinging London fashion style was sold in small clothing boutiques. Trying to save to buy his shop is Walker Holt (Arinzé Kene) who arrived a few years back as one of the Windrush generation from Guyana. Holt’s tailoring workshop is on the first floor of the Carnaby Street premises. Abbensetts wrote the first television series about a black British community in Empire Road.
Frankie Bradshaw’s creative and authentic set has racks and racks of one off colourful hanging clothes and at ground floor work tables with sewing machines, scissors, cotton reels and haberdashery. Gershwyn Eustache Jnr plays Walker’s employee and confidant, Buster who is awaiting news of the birth of his baby. Courtney (Raphael Famotibe) does the running around and deliveries.
A clothing manufacturer Mr Nat (Colin Mace) has a big job that needs to be completed very quickly of altering dozens of pairs of trousers that need shortening and to be hemmed. Mr Nat is Jewish and came to London as an immigrant and has had to work hard to build his business so he empathises with Walker and recognises Walker’s need to own rather than rent. Courtney brings in those large checked plastic carrying bags containing the trousers.
Walker is married to Darlene (Cherrelle Skeete), also from Guyana, who has just lost her job and knows that her husband is unfaithful and she is disillusioned with her marriage. There is wonderful banter between the cast with the addition of some Guyanese patois. Another tailor is brought in to help with the bulk order. He is Horace (Karl Collins), somewhat of a peacock, resplendent in a red velvet suit, wearing a large green hat, his hair straightened and coiffed with a grey quiff and he is very attracted to Darlene.
It struck me that Walker’s problem was that he is a workaholic, striving to make a better future for himself but has lost sight of what really matters. He regards Horace as a bit of a joke. Walker takes calls from a blonde girlfriend called Liz with whom he flirts. The set revolves to provide back room conversations away from the main tailoring area. Arinzé Kene is full of energy as Walker as he races against time to complete the order, working all night.
To the side of the workshop are scenes with no dialogue which look like the past, maybe his parents, his father white suited and hatted in Guyana, his mother in a white frock and hat. On the other side is a tableau of Walker’s future, a man being fitted for a bespoke suit. The 1970s script has been updated by Trish Cooke and, as we know, Linette Linton’s direction is tip top. There is serious sabotage by Horace which has to be put right and Walker makes a success of his business ambition but there is a price to be paid.
There is good music, Reggae with dance moves, music from composer Xana. I liked Karl Collins’ performance as Darlene’s suitor and Cherrelle Skeete is always believable so that we feel for her. Karl has ambitions to be an actor with the RSC or in films and says, “Surely you have heard of Mussolini the famous Italian director!” There are so many laugh out loud moments and brilliant repartee in this play which came about using the National Theatre’s archive of Black British playwrights that I wonder how many other gems lie there undiscovered.
Editor of TheatreVibe.co.uk
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Production Notes
Alterations
Written by Michael Abbensetts
With Additional Material by Trish Cooke
Directed by Lynette Linton
Cast
Starring:
Arinzé Kene
Cherrelle Skeete
Colin Mace
Gershwyn Eustache Jnr
Karl Collins
Tyler Fayose
Raphel Famotibe
Richard Emerson Gould
Joshua John
Samuel Nunes de Souza
Yolande Ovide
Creatives
Director: Linette Linton
Movement: Shelley Maxwell
Composer: Xana
Designer: Frankie Bradshaw
Lighting Designer: Oliver Fenwick
Sound Designer: George Dennis
Fight Director: Kate Waters
Information
Running Time: One hour 55 minutes without an interval
Booking until 5th April 2025
Address:
Lyttelton Theatre
Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge
at the Lyttelton Theatre
on 28th February 2025