Skip to main content

Moon on a Rainbow Shawl

By Errol John

Year staged: 1958

Opening night: 04/12/1958

Theatre Company: English Stage Company

Staged in: Royal Court Theatre

Cast Size: 13

Synopsis

The play centres on around a group of characters living close to the poverty line in a shared tenement yard in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Set in 1947, the play follows their aspirations to escape the yard, capturing the migratory impulse of those who came to England from the Caribbean and became known as the ‘Windrush generation’.

Find the script

Moon on a Rainbow Shawl

Publisher: Faber and Faber

Year published: 1963

Original Cast

Soraya Rafat

Rosa

Leo Carera

Prince

Earle Hyman

Ephraim

Jacqueline Chan

Esther

Barbara Assoon

Mavis

Robert Jackson

An American Sailor

Vinnette Carroll

Sophia

Lionel Ngakane

Old Mack

Johnny Sekka

Policeman

Berril Briggs

Janette

John Bouie

Charlie

Leonard Davies

An American Soldier

Clifton Jones

Young Murray

Production Team

Frith Banbury

Director

Loudon Sainthill

Scenery / Costume

Additional Materials

Link to Production Management File

Production Management File

Ref: THM/273/4/1/5

V&A Theatre and Performance Collection

Link to Press Cuttings

Press Cuttings

Ref: THM/273/7/2/28

V&A Theatre and Performance Collection

Link to Press reviews

Press reviews

Ref: TFP024

Future Histories - Black Performance and Carnival Archive

Link to Further Production Source

Further Production Source

Living Archive (Royal Court)

Contact Us

Help improve this page

Do you have information about this or other productions that could help improve our records?