Coming to England – Birmingham Rep

Floella Benjamin’s memoir about arriving in England from Trinidad is effectively Small Island from a child’s point of view. David Wood has turned the book into a pacey stage piece by flipping the story on its head and adding some good songs.

Benjamin’s story is linear but Wood begins with her being honoured in adult life and then doubles back to the bullying and racism she encountered as a child newly arrived in grey London.

Thereafter we’re in Trinidad until the last four children finally board ship and set sail for the Motherland.

Benjamin’s colourful memories of her Trinidadian childhood mean a huge contrast between the colours, smells, flora and fauna of the Caribbean compared with 1960s England. Director and choreographer, Omar F Okai and designer Bretta Gerecke focus very effectively on those contrasts with the giant flowers being an especial high spot along with Floella and her five siblings enjoying a lively carnival. Ian Oakley’s musical arrangements provide joyously evocative music.

Paula Kay is very convincing as Floella Benjamin of whom many people in the audience will have warm memories from Play School and other TV programmes. Also neat is her use of a Trinidadian accent for all the childhood scenes and RP as an adult looking back. It highlights the way the young Benjamin adapted and gets round the potential problem of adults playing children. It’s a fine performance.

The ensemble is strong and I loved Kojo Kamara’s jazz number as Floella’s father who so desperately wanted to come to England because he thought there would be more musical opportunities here. Bree Smith is a very versatile actor too – warm and loving as Mamie, the children’s mother, fierce as their teacher in Trinidad and hateful as their foster mother as they wait to be summoned to England.