August Wilson (1945-2005), the great African-American playwright, is up there with Eugene O’Neill, Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller. He wrote a cycle of award-winning plays, which chronicled the American-Black man’s experience in the twentieth century, one play for each decade, an amazing and unique achievement.
Fences, his first big, award-wining success, which premiered in 1987 with James Earl Jones, is set in the 1950’s. Troy Maxson, a former Negro League baseball star, is now earning a living as a garbage man in Pittsburg. Gifted black players in the 1930’s had no chance of getting into the Major League and making sport their career.
53-year-old Maxson has serious flaws in his character which alienate him from his family and society. He is unfaithful, fathering a daughter, whose mother dies in childbirth. He stops his youngest son having a career in football, which would lead to a university scholarship because he fears he will suffer the same fate as himself. He commits his brain-damaged brother, a war veteran, to hospital and pockets half the money
There are two moments when his behavior audibly shocks the audience. The first is when he tries to justify his having a mistress to his wife who has been faithful to him and stood by him when he went to jail. The second is when he asks his son to tell him by what rule book it says he has to like him.
Lenny Harry made a remarkable transition from stand-up comedian to straight actor in his impressive debut playing Othello. He now follows this up with another taxing role, which he acts with tremendous power and confidence. The family drama grips.
There are good suport all round: from Tanya Moodie as his wife, from Colin McFarlane as his best friend, from Ashley Zhangazha as his youngest son, from Peter Bankole as his eldest son and from Terence Maynard as the war veteran who has the play's most potent symbol when he blows his trumpet to warn Saint Peter of his dead brother’s arrival at the pearly gates and the trumpet produces no sound whatsoever.
Paulette Randall’s production is the sixth August Wilson play she has directed. I came out of the theatre, hoping that one day soon it will be possible to see all ten plays as a cycle in chronological order.
Fences is at Richmond, Surrey, this week and will visit Milton Keynes, Oxford, Mold, Malvern and Cambridge.
To learn more about Robert Tanitch and his reviews, click here to go to his website
Campaigns & Issues
Woodland Court staff face secure future thanks to Brunelcare
Residents and staff at a retirement village in Downend have finally reached the end of two years of uncertainty, following the acquisition of Woodland Court by Brunelcare.
Previous owners of the 57 apartment village, Care Village Group, went into administration in June 2011, leaving the residents and staff with an uncertain future.
The top priority for the Bristol based charity has been to retain all 27 members of staff to ensure that the support services are maintained, whilst minimising any disruption to the residents.
News
Stamping their feet
THOUSANDS OF Post Office staff have taken part in strikes across the country following a dispute about closures, jobs and pay.
A staggering 88 per cent of Communication Workers Union members voted in favour of strike action, following a refusal from the Post Office to negotiate terms.
The 4,000 workers, from 373 offices, took part in the strikes in opposition to plans to close 76 offices.
They hope to protect jobs and services and secure a fair pay rise for Post Office staff - who have not had a wage increase since April 2011.
Competitions & Fun
Win a Doro PhoneEasy 515 handset!
We’ve teamed up with Doro to give four very lucky Mature Times readers the chance to win a Doro PhoneEasy 515 mobile phone.
The Doro PhoneEasy 515 has been designed to provide an easy-to-use mobile for people who might find mainstream handsets difficult or confusing to use. This beautifully stylish candybar phone features an easy-to-use camera enabling you to capture those spontaneous photos quickly and easily before sharing them with others.
The Doro PhoneEasy 515 has several user-friendly functions including a direct SMS key and a charging cradle to make charging hassle free. It also has a large keypad, enlarged text for easy dialing and messaging and a loud, clear sound.
Reader Offers
Win a prize at home or away in this month's prize draw with Silver Travel Advisor!
Enter now and you could win a prize at home or away! How about a 7 night break for 2, with flights included, in beautiful Slovenia? Or a trip to London’s glitzy theatreland, staying in a 4* hotel? Both fabulous treats which must be won!
Silver Travel Advisor is a friendly website packed with advice, tips, information and honest reviews written by and for silver travellers (aged over 50). A team of advisors are on hand to answer queries (for free), and you can share your own experiences too.
Health & Wellbeing
Loneliness is a ‘ticking time bomb’
One in three people over the age of 50 struggles with loneliness – fuelled partly by a rise in later life divorces, according to an official study. Figures show almost seven million members of the baby-boomer generation and above admit to feeling lonely.
Research published as part of David Cameron’s plan to measure the nation’s ‘happiness’ said almost half of people over 80 feel lonely - many “much of the time”.
Campaigns groups say the study, by the Office for National Statistics, suggests the generation approaching retirement will be a “loneliness time bomb”.
Property & Finance
15 per cent of population claim financial worries are affecting their health
16 million people find finances the most stressful aspect of their lives
Leisure and Lifestyle
Singing you heart out
Music sensation Billy Ocean takes time out talk to Laura Heads about the release of his latest album and how making music has changed dramatically during his 40 year career.
The star has sold over 30 million records in his lifetime and has collected a pile of Gold and Platinum awards across the world. Billy’s unique reggae infused voice and musical style, representing his Trinidadian roots, are recognisable anywhere and it is that which has earned him his well-deserved number ones.
And the well-loved singer-song writer said that the way music is made has changed a lot since he first began in the 1970s. He said: “Music is now controlled by technology. New artists allow technology to control what they are doing.
Travel
New guide to travel insurance launched
THIS IS A handy to use and easy to read guide packed with tips aimed at helping older travellers when considering the purchase of travel insurance.
The guide came about as a result of the numerous enquiries we received here at the Mature Times’ offices regarding travel insurance for older people. MT Editor Andrew Young says ‘We receive many, many e-mails, letters and telephone calls from our readers regarding this subject. We know that as you get older travel insurance becomes more expensive, but there are ways that you can try to help offset some of these increases – and this guide can help you do that.’
Obviously as Editor you will have had many letters of thank-you's and well-done's, so please count this as one more from a convert to your excellent paper.