FIX UP
Fix Up premiered on the Cottesloe stage at the National Theatre in London on 16 December 2004. This production was directed by Angus Jackson with the following actors: Nina Sosanya (Alice), Jeffrey Kissoon (Brother Kiyi), Mo Sesay (Carl), Steve Toussaint (Kwesi) and Claire Benedict (Norma).
Kwei-Armah’s play Fix Up explores the need for black literature in modern multicultural Britain, where there is a growing dual-heritage population. The play tells the story of Brother Biyi, a black man dedicated to empowering the black community with knowledge about their history and cultural heritage. Brother Biyi’s bookshop, called ‘Fix Up’, holds the largest volume of black historical literature written by some of the world’s most iconic black writers. Situated in Tottenham, one of the most black-populated areas in London, the bookshop has been underused and underappreciated by the community, leaving Biyi in no position to contest the lease owner’s plans to transform the shop into a hair supplies. Norma, who is secretly in love with Biyi, is not willing to accept the eviction notice without a fight and convinces Biyi to do the same. But when the shop is visited by their only customer, Alice, a mixed-race attractive girl in search of information about her black ancestry, Brother Biyi aka Peter Allan is faced with a more personal challenge.
About the Playwright
Playwright, actor, broadcaster, singer and Artistic Director of Center Stage in Baltimore USA Kwame Kwei-Armah OBE was born in Britain to Grenadian parents. Kwame Kwei-Armah’s mounting artistic legacy has gained him international critical acclaim; he is, arguably one of the most significant Black British contemporary writers.
Kwei-Armah initially became a household name through his professional career as an actor starring in prime-time drama series Casualty and Holby City. Further television appearances include presenting the documentaries On Tour with the Queen and Christianity.
In 1999 he started his writing career by becoming the Writer in Residence at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre. During this time, he wrote his first play, A Bitter Herb, followed by Blues Brother Soul Sister and Big Nose. In 2005 his award-winning play Elmeida’s Kitchen transferred to the Garrick Theatre making him the second Black Briton to have a play staged in the West End.
Kwei-Armah is currently a Board member at the National Theatre in London, England, as well as the Artistic Director of Baltimore’s theatre Center Stage. He has extended his directorial career, directing Mountain Top by Katori Hall, An Enemy of the People by Arthur Miller and Detroit ’67 by Dominique Morisseau.
Other plays by Kwame Kwei-Armah include Statement of Regret, Let There Be Love and Elmina’s Kitchen.
Summary
ALICE, a thirty-four-year-old dual-heritage woman, was placed in a care home in Somerset as a child. Starved of any black history or black relatives, she travels to Brother Kiyi’s Fix Up bookshop in Tottenham for answers. Brother Kiyi introduces her to the works of Marcus Garvey, Claude McKay and the slave narratives. But Alice has one final question about her ancestry, which only Brother Kiyi aka Peter Allan can answer.
Alice produces a picture and shows Brother Kiyi the photo album.
You see this? This is the only picture I have of me as a child. Cheeks are a bit bigger, but hey! They look a lot alike, don’t they? So I ask again, I wanna know who this is in the album?
…
I need you to say, Alice, this is you. This is the child I gave away, this is the child I had and then couldn’t be bothered or be arsed to look after so I dumped into some children’s home to fend for herself, away from anything or anybody that cared, away from anyone that looked or sounded like her, away from all that is kin and natural and safe and you’re a fucking fraud, Peter Allan, whatever you call yourself now, fucking Brother Kiyi. You’re a fraud just like your fake fucking bookstore.
…
Look. You’re more concerned about your stupid shop than you are about me, standing here before you, begging to be named, recognised.
…
I came to find out why I look the way I do, why I cross my legs when I’m afraid. And what did I find? A sad old man who pretends to love but hates everything around him.
…
[You’re making me want to throw up!] What do you know about love? You leave your child to rot, to be raised by the very people you are educating your community against, and you talk about love? What did you build for me?
…
I AM YOUR CHILD!