The Front Room (Passages)

The Front Room as installation was initally created as film set at the Royal Court Theatre for Passages, seven films for seven decades that included seven monologues by writers: Rikki Beadle-Blair, Natasha Gordon, Shereen Jasmin Phillips, Jamael Westman, Roy Williams Winsome Pinnock, Lynette Linton about the experience of Post-War Caribbean migrants, the Windrush Generation, and directed by Lynette Linton.

The installation was subsequently moved to the Royal Court Theatre downstairs restaurant/bar area for The Passages: A Windrush Celebration on Saturday 13th April 2019. As a ‘take-over’ of the venue, there was a day-long programme of activities. This included a carnival costume display created by Clary Salandy, pop-up young writers performances led by playwright, Nicole Lecky, Windrush: A playwriting workshop led by Rikki Beadle-Blair, screenings of films by Horace Ové, Pressure and Baldwin’s Nigger, a cooking seminar led by Levi Roots.

There was also a tribute to Louise Bennett-Coverley aka ‘Miss Lou’ led by Colleen and Kingsley Bailey, screenings of the seven films followed by a Windrush panel debate by Lynette Linton. This was followed by a live Lovers Rock music performance by Janet Kay, Carroll Thompson and Victor Romero Evans, as well as music played by DJ ‘Milton Campbell’, and Caribbean food and rum punch on sale.