Mark Grey’s new play Windrush – The Betrayal examines the effect the government’s “hostile environment” policy had on the legal migrants of British Subjects from the Caribbean.
“This story was particularly personal and tragic for me Although I was not affected directly, my late parents were among the Windrush Generation, they came here in the fifties, did their stint to help put the Great Back in Britain and then retired back home to Jamaica. We all had British passports however I see that the story could have been so different if we did not. I feel for those people affected whose parents did so much for Britain. They are my people. I sympathise.”
Mark has been writing for the stage for over thirty years and his plays always seek to address a social issue and make some comment on what drives us as individuals to behave the way that we do.”
He first came across the story of the “hostile environment” in the National Press when preparing for news review show on Adventist Radio London. “I remember screaming at the radio that this cannot be happening, not in Great Britain, not in the 21st century.” It was all too true, the government in seeking to reduce net migration introduced a policy labelled “a hostile environment” that set out to make life so uncomfortable for migrants here illegally that they would flee Britain of their own accord. The Home Office identified many legal British Subjects who had either lost or never sought to apply for British passports as illegal and refused to accept confirmed income tax, and National Insurance contributions as proof that they had been here in most cases over 50 years and had a legal right to be here. Mark has woven a story highlighting their shameful treatment including the loss of access to work, benefits, housing and healthcare, leaving many destitute.
Seeking to get to the bottom of the story, Mark spoke with Arthur Torrington, Director of The Windrush Foundation and also spent much time researching articles in the press of personal stories of those directly affected. Amelia Gentleman of The Guardian brought names like Anthony Bryan, Paulette Wilson, Sylvester Marshall, and Michael Braithwaite amongst others into the public domain as they were callously hounded, detained and threatened with deportation. If not for Miss Gentleman’s tenacious journalism they would never have come to our attention and would have been deported to a country they had not seen for half a century, one in which they had no network of support. Indeed, Anthony Bryan’s story became the subject of the award winning BBC drama -Sitting in Limbo- in 2020.
After graduating from West Indies College in Jamaica (now Northern Caribbean University), Mark returned to London where he formed the Agape Theatre Company. His first professional play at Brixton Village in 1989 –The Loser- was declared “A Winner” by The Voice Newspaper, which not only campaigns for positive change on important issues but also celebrates black excellence throughout the UK,
His last play before the pandemic, –End the Silence- which dealt with sexual, emotional, and physical abuse in the church and the charity sector garnered excellent reviews and led the Jamaica High Commissioner H.E. Seth George Ramocan to review stating “End The Silence is emotionally and intellectually engaging. A must see for men, women, and teenagers.”
Mark has a feature film available on Amazon Prime. 3 Women starring British actress – Judith Jacob, is a powerful yet touching character driven drama which examines the lives of three disparate women battling domestic violence, the glass ceiling and street gang culture as they strive to gain respect in London. “With the recognition black actors are beginning to receive by being awarded for their work and the likes of our very own talent such as Steve McQueen, John Boyega and a household name in Judith Jacob – we are seeing that in a time like this our stories really do matter and it’s important that this current trend continues for many generations to come.”
Windrush – The Betrayal opens at The Union Theatre, Old Union Arches, 229 Union Street, SE1 0LR and runs from 1st – 7th November 2021 at 7:30PM, Sunday 5:30PM. Tickets priced at £15 & £13.
http://www.uniontheatre.biz/the-betrayal.html
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