From
A JAMAICAN AIRMAN
FORESEES HIS DEATH
by Fred D’Aguiar
A Jamaican Foresess His Death by Fred D’Aguiar premiered at the Royal Court, Jerwood Theatre Upstairs on 9 April 1991, directed by Hettie MacDonald starring; Fraser James (Gerry/Airforce Officer), Clarence Smith (Alvin), Jeffrey Chiswick (Kojo/Kathleen’s Father), Sidney Cole (Bruce/Army Officer), Maynard Eziashi (Tim/Business Granny/Vendor), Maureen Hibbert (Kathleen’s Mother) and Geraldine Somerville (Kathleen).
Fred D’Aguiar was inspired to write his play A Jamaican Airman Foresees His Death from his admiration for W.B. Yeats’ poem entitled ‘An Irish Airman Foresees his Death’. Like the poem, the play explores the lives of voluntary war aircraft pilots, with a particular interest in the unorthodox attitudes of British colonies who fought on behalf of the ‘mother country’, England. The play highlights the contentions of British-Jamaican identity for Jamaicans whose country had been a part of the British Empire for centuries but as a people were subjected to being treated as second-class citizens, chastised and racially abused by the British during the war.
This play focuses on the black working-class Jamaicans who fought for the United Kingdom Royal Air Force during World War II. The play begins in 1940s Jamaica as lead character Alvin Williams, alongside three of his friends; Gerry, Tim and Bruce, bravely take on the ‘patriotic and honourable’ act of joining the British Air Force. As none of the men have travelled to England their reasons for joining go beyond a patriotic act of duty; instead they are motivated by personal benefits, such as flying a plane, money, English women, historical recognition, travelling abroad, guns and uniform. Despite Alvin’s Jamaican grandmother, his only relative, discouraging him from sacrificing his life for the Second World War by sharing her ill-fated premonitions, Alvin and his friends enlist for the British Air Force and travel to an RAF training ground in Scotland by boat. In Scotland the men’s expectations are shattered. Alvin is the only one employed as a pilot, the others have to contend with menial labour jobs; barber, chef and toilet cleaner. Alvin experiences his first taste of racism when accosted by Scottish pilots who strip him naked to check if he has a tail. Things take a turn for the worse when Alvin accidently shoots another British aircraft, he is punished more harshly than his white British counterparts, receiving a summons, confined to the base and branded a killer by Scottish pilots and the community. This also has a negative effect on his relationship with his Jamaican friends and Scots girlfriend Kathleen who were are all subjected to racial taunts and abuse, as a consequence of his actions. Alvin is dishonourably discharged from the army and thus forced to consider a new life.
About the Playwright
Poet, novelist and playwright, Fred D’Aguiar was born in London in 1960 to Guyanese parents. He was raised in Guyana until the age of twelve, before returning to England in 1972. Fred D’Aguiar is best known for his award-winning novels and poetry, namely his first collection of poetry, Mama Dot (1985), which was published to much acclaim. D’Aguiar’s first novel, The Longest Memory (1994), tells the story of Whitechapel, a slave on an eighteenth-century plantation in Virginia. The book won both the David Higham Prize for Fiction and the Whitbread First Novel Award. It was adapted for television and screened by Channel 4 in the UK.
D’Aguair has written two plays which have been professionally produced in Britain. His first play, High Life, was performed at the Arcola Theatre. Inspired by the poem ‘An Irish Airman Foresees his Death’ by W.B. Yeats, Fred D’Aguair wrote his second play ‘A Jamaican Airman Foresess His Death’.
Summary (Extract)
ALVIN WILLIAMS, a Jamaican in his early twenties, struggles to maintain his focus during his last mission as a rear runner, due to the anticipation of his first love-making experience with new girlfriend Kathleen. As his insecurities and fears intensify, Alvin completely loses concentration and makes a costly error that will weigh heavily on him, his Jamaican friends and Kathleen.
Rear-gunner ALVIN WILLIAMS on his final mission.
They firing! They missed? Return fire! Aim! Fire! We missed them? They’re still firing! Aim! Fire! My first time I freezed up. I could only watch. She lying there, her legs spread-eagled. I wanted to touch her but couldn’t. I seized up like a engine. It wasn’t anything to do with her, she was lovely. It was me. We’d been kissing for ages. At the time I wanted whatever she had to offer. She tore off her clothes; I mine. We were neck and neck, matching each other garment for garment; my shirt her blouse, my vest her brassiére, my trousers her skirt, my socks her stockings (I couldn’t do anything in socks, I knew that much), my hat, her hairpin that let her hair fall about her shoulders with a slight shake of her head and her half-smile. We were cruising. My underpants, her panties. Us stark naked. Our shoes kicked off long ago, landing somewhere in the room with thuds. Where did they come from! God, they missed! Fire back, Alvin! Fire back! Save yourself! Suddenly, I freeze, like someone throw a switch in my head. All I could do was watch her, lying there, her legs spanning the bed, her hips moving from side to side, a quiet groan escaping her lips and her ‘I want you’. She couldn’t understand what I was waiting for. And us like two sticks rubbing together for a half-hour before, but now only she on fire, me with this thing between my legs that won’t work, that could be anybody’s. My first time and me only able to watch. She lying there, reaching for the four cardinal points, I mean wriggling like a heel and resembling a starfish or someone treading water all rolled into one. But I’m nailed to the spot at the end of the bed. Aim! Fire! Bull’s-eye! So it must have clicked with her that I was good for nothing. So she just went ahead without me. I mean we had been kissing, she was all worked up. So, her hands come down her body, she getting louder and louder: ‘I want you!’ Her hands working faster and faster. Finally her hips rear up clear of the mattress, her heels digging for a grip like they spurring a horse, the bedclothes riding to the bottom of the bed, the bed springs crying. My hands brought to my ears, her cries still loud as ever, my eyes squeezed tight, stars swimming behind my lids till I scream stop! Stop! No! Not now! She says, ‘I’m nearly there!’ Foolishly, I ask where. ‘Everywhere!’ she shouts. I hit them! They going down! Fast! Her knees brought up and together and she rolling onto her side. Smoke! Fire! Her free hand pulling the scattered bedding over her body ever so slowly, her groan low and drawn out. Me tiptoeing off the world, my heart filling my head in the sudden quiet. (Slight pause.) No, God! Not one of ours! Nooooooo.