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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.

Find the script

Flesh to a Tiger

Publisher: Oberon Books

Year published: 2010

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

Link to Photographs

Photographs

Ref: TFP023

Future Histories - Black Performance and Carnival Archive

Link to Photographs

Photographs

Ref: THM/273/6/1/168

V&A Theatre and Performance Collection

Link to Press Reviews

Press Reviews

Ref: THM/273/7/2/13

V&A Theatre and Performance Collection

Link to Further Production Source

Further Production Source

Living Archive (Royal Court)

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