London opens its heart to sweet Caroline
Prize-winning American playwright Tony Kushner has praised the British cast of his musical Caroline, Or Change and expressed his excitement about its transfer into the west end this autumn.
Kushner, who wrote the show with composer Jeanine Tesori, was jubilant because he said it’s the first time one of his productions has played in the central theatre district.
The musical, starring Sharon D. Clarke as a divorced mother of four working as a maid for a Jewish family in Louisiana in 1963, played at Chichester Festival Theatre last spring.
it is now enjoying a run at the Hampstead Theatre, where it received accolades from critics on Tuesday’s opening night.
And i can reveal that it will transfer to ATg’s Playhouse Theatre, where it will run for a season from november 16.
‘it’s exciting and i’m very happy,’ the playwright told me
On song: Me’Sha Bryan and Sharon D.Clarke (right)
from new York. Kushner, whose hit national Theatre production of Angels in America opens on Broadway on Sunday, said Caroline ‘only works if you can find somebody who can do that monster role — and Sharon is astounding!’
He said he has already heard from two new York producers, asking: ‘why don’t we do it here?’
The calls amused him because when Caroline, Or Change first opened in new York in 2003, it was entirely appreciated’.
Kushner said British reviewers — and ‘the wonderful British, listening audiences’ got what it was about — race, class, white privilege and black deprivation — when it played at the national Theatre 12 years ago. And Kushner said the show is even more relevant now that the ‘unspeakable white supremacist Trump’ is in the white House.
His views echoed those of Ms Clarke. ‘ we’ve got the Trump foolishness now,’ the actress said when we chatted following Tuesday’s performance at the Hampstead.
The good news is that there has been a momentous shift in her own profession, even in the past few months. ‘They used to say black don’t sell — but look at Black Panther! Look at the Oscar nominees and winners,’ she said.
She cited the success of London productions Hamilton, Dream girls and Motown, too.
Caroline, Or Change runs at Hampstead through April 21. Visit carolineorchange.co.uk for Playhouse transfer info.