Talawa Theatre Company, West Yorkshire Playhouse and English Touring Theatre
Rum and Coca Cola
5 March to 3 April
By Mustapha Matura
Directed by Don Warrington
On the beautiful island paradise of Trinidad, under the fiery heat of the Caribbean sun, Slim and Professor play sweet calypso for passing tourists.
Professor, a past calypso giant with a historic hat-trick of hits, is schooling Slim in the noble art.
They survive on their ‘refreshment capital’, living at the end of the beach amongst driftwood, fallen coconut trees and empty rum bottles. And as Professor ‘speechifies’ about his life, one that’s been lost and stolen, Slim tries to grasp a brighter future.
Including some of the most recognisable sounds and songs of Calypso, Rum and Coca Cola has a carnival beat at its heart, with Musical Direction by Dominique Le Gendre. Don Warrington (Rising Damp, The Crouches, Manchild), directs Victor Romero Evans (The Harder They Come, Ragamuffin) and Marcel McCalla (Footballer’s Wives, My Wonderful Life) in this warm and witty bittersweet tale.
Victor Romero Evans and Marcel McCalla in rehearsal for Rum and Coca Cola. Photo courtesy of Richard Hubert Smith. To see more Rum and Coca Cola rehearsal images click here.
