Flesh to a Tiger
By Barry Reckord
Year staged: 1958
Opening night: 05/12/1958
Theatre Company: English Stage Company
Staged in: Royal Court Theatre
Cast Size: 24
Synopsis
Drama set in the Caribbean. Shepherd Aaron operates as law in a small community of people. Della, who was once a lover of Aaron’s, rejects his law and tries to split away from the community with her sons, Joshie and Tata, with the help of a local white Doctor. Della and the Doctor are romantically engaged, but he keeps her at an arm’s length, refusing to kiss her and instead offering her the option to work for her. Della’s so-called betrayal of the community for the ‘White Wolf’, greatly upsets Shepherd Aaron and he plots to kill Della’s poorly son, Tata. When at first his black magic Obeah doesn’t work, he then sends Lal murder him physically. Della battles with her role as a mother and her potential within her community, before plotting to liberate her people from the Shepherd’s rule.
The play premiered at The New Theatre in Cardiff and moved to the Royal Court on 21 May 1958. First produced under the title Della (1953, Ward Theatre, Kingston) and then Adella (1954, London Fringe) before changing to Flesh to a Tiger.
Original Cast
Lloyd Lynis
Child
Ginger Johnson
Child
Ilario Bisi-Pedro
Child
Curtis Auguste
Child
Nadia Cattouse
Gloria
Pearl Prescod
Lal
Lloyd Reckord
George
Cleo Laine
Della
Edgar Wreford
Doctor
Emmanuel Myers
Drummers
Connie Smith
Grannie
Tamba Allen
Joshie
Franciska Francis
Members of Balm Yard
Edmundo Ofero
Pappa G
Johnny Sekka
Ruddy
James Clarke
Shepherd Aaron
Dorothy Blondel-Francis
Vie
Berril Briggs
Child
Keefe West
Child
Erna Babb
Child
Maureen Seale
Child
Vernon Trott
Child
Ansel Bernard
Child
Barbara Bernard
Child
Production Team
Tony Richardson
Director
Loudon Sainthill
Designer
Boscoe Holder
Choreography
Additional Materials
Photographs
Ref: TFP023
Future Histories - Black Performance and Carnival Archive