King Cotton

The Lowry
Wednesday 12th September

Two books have found favour with your reviewer of late.  The first is Lindsey Hunter’s story about how she fell in love with her husband Paul, who became the much loved snooker player who died of cancer last year.  Entitled ‘Unbreakable’ it’s a deeply moving but an inspirational story, one from a writer who openly shares her thoughts on loving someone and being strong in surviving the death of a loved one – all at a relatively young age. 

Secondly, the BBC TV and Radio presenter, Adrian Chiles has written a book called ‘We Don’t Know What We’re Doing’ – a descriptive account of the perils and joys of following a football team (in this case, West Bromwich Albion) and the effect it has on his life as a whole.

Walking away from The Lowry, the two books came back into my mind because I pondered just how much ‘King Cotton’ had taken over the life of Ian Brownbill, the man whose original idea this new production was.  You won’t be surprised to learn that it has consumed Ian’s life of late - just like Adrian Chiles with West Brom or Lindsey Hunter with her husband Paul. Regardless of whatever he has had to do, ‘King Cotton’ has never been far from his mind.

Each of the books will give any reader plenty of time to think about the different aspects within them and so does ‘King Cotton’. It’s a fantastic production - full of power and consciousness that makes you examine how you interact with other people, whilst giving food for thought of what life was like in a bygone era.

With the idea formerly in his mind, and having tracked down Jimmy McGovern and left a message on his voicemail, Ian’s enthusiasm rubbed off on the writer and McGovern’s first stage production in over 20 years, ‘King Cotton’ began to take shape.  A number of years later, with a wonderful team behind it, this joint commission by The Lowry and The Liverpool Culture Company marks the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade.

‘King Cotton’ is now here, alive and kicking, and the end result is unbelievable - in fact you could run out of superlatives in describing its effect. This is a production that has to be seen to be believed – it’s not fantastic; it’s just absolutely brilliant.

The ‘Jewels in the Crown’ are not just the actors on stage, but the whole creative team.  Jimmy McGovern doesn’t need much of an introduction; he is synonymous with Cracker and his portrayal of the Hillsborough Disaster.  Ian Brownbill came up with the original idea, McGovern wrote it and Jude Kelly, the Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre and an award winning director of over 60 productions for stage and screen brought it to the stage. 

If that’s not enough, Jude was also involved in the successful bid for London’s 2012 Olympics.  Ti Green has designed the set that is mind-blowing, whilst Edward Watson has had a major influence with regards to the music.

So what is ‘King Cotton’ all about then?

In short, this ‘epic tale’, links the American Civil War with the Lancashire Cotton famine and tells the story through words and music of the fight to be removed from poverty and slavery utilising two main characters:  Tom (played by Paul Anderson) a poor mill worker from the North West of England and Sokoto (Israel Oyelumade formerly in Eastenders) a black slave from an American cotton plantation.  Together they search for their own freedom but neither can foresee what awaits them as the journey across the Atlantic from the Deep South brings them together with traumatic circumstances.

When you think of Lancashire and the cotton mills and their history, a brass band was never far away and was very much part of people’s lives.  Here a band plays an integral part of the whole concept of ‘King Cotton’ – the augmented members of Ashton-Under-Lyne Band (chosen in part because in Ian Brownbill’s mind, in Lancashire, it is set in Ashton and of who not only have been working their socks off, but are nothing short of terrific) actively move around on the stage and underpinning everything with at times, very moving music. 

The music itself contains traditional American spirituals that are full of character whilst the brass music includes Eric Ball’s ‘Kingdom Triumphant’, ‘My Love is like a Red, Red Rose’ and ‘Deep Harmony’ which appears on numerous occasions pulling at the emotional heart-strings as the story unfolds.  Whilst the title is one of Sousa’s marches, it is not included as it isn’t in keeping and has no connection with the production.

At times the language is colourful and reminiscent of how things were then, and still are, in any work place today - never over the top but if you take the viewpoint that everything is written for a purpose, it makes sense.

There is also plenty of pathos and comedy. The humour is dark, with numerous ‘one-liners’ included with plenty of references to the banter of working class Liverpool and Manchester that at times is hilarious.

‘King Cotton’ focuses very heavily on the American Civil War and its implications on the cotton industry in Lancashire.  It’s a powerful, engrossing production about people and how people treat each other - their creed, their colour and their religion. 

As you’ll have gathered, the story moves along at speed and the ties between the characters are superb.  With forty scenes in total and some amazing scenery coupled with production values of the highest order, the characters bring the story to life.  Each scene is well evoked with the lighting playing a terrific part in creating the required atmospheres.

‘King Cotton’ is a compelling piece of writing by Jimmy McGovern and its production is elevated by the strong performances of Tom and Sokoto, not forgetting John Henshaw who brings his wealth of experience into his role of God whilst the contribution of John Elkington as President Abraham Lincoln is a reel hoot. Any football fan will be familiar with the chant to the referee ‘You don’t what you’re doing’ - suffice to say, Lincoln comes out with some cracking stuff that is a variation on the above.

Lasting over 2 hours and not including an interval, this was the in effect the first of two preview nights – a public dress rehearsal if you like (with an extended interval to accommodate the huge scenery change and something that will be fine tuned as it goes along). Whilst it has received extensive media coverage ahead of its launch, Friday 14th September saw the media in attendance and it will be interesting to read and listen to what they have to say - it's been impressive so far with reviews in the National press: Financial Times, The Times and The Guardian and regionally in the Manchester Evening News (it may even feature on Newsnight Review on BBC 2 on a Friday night at some point). 

Recently, The Times newspaper described ‘King Cotton’ at number 11 in the 100 best Autumn arts events.   If The Times is prepared to put its neck on the block before the performances go live, it’s an indication how powerful and dramatic this production really is.

This is not solely a play nor a musical, nor a comedy-drama or drama production but an epic tale that incorporates all of those ingredients into making ‘King Cotton’ a truly outstanding experience.  The programme at £5 certainly enhances the listener’s enjoyment and gives greater understanding to the concept with biographies of the participants

Speaking on BBC Radio Merseyside earlier in the year Jimmy McGovern commented that all the success for this must go to Ian Brownbill.  Ian on the other hand was more concerned about what his cornet playing in ‘Deep Harmony’ sounded like, of which the response was ‘Ask your Dad’ (who was in the audience with his wife Jean and an entourage of friends and family) but Ian did say one thing:

‘I hope the banding public will have come to Manchester and go to Liverpool to see something that is quite unique.  This is my contribution to the Brass Band movement’.

King Cotton runs at The Lowry until Saturday 22nd September (and The Lowry are extremely enthusiastic about this production which is their first commission since it opened) the cast including Ashton-Under-Lyne Band moves on to Liverpool.

There is no question that everybody involved with ‘King Cotton’ has produced something that takes the breath away.  Ian Brownbill and everyone involved deserve all the plaudits that come their way and who knows what will follow on from The Lowry and The Empire Theatre?  It certainly could be adapted for television, even the cinema, and if it does go to a town or city near you, and even to the USA (and who knows) take the chance to go and see it. One thing is for sure, ‘King Cotton’ deserves to go from strength to strength.

Tickets are available (but you’ll have to be quick) from The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays, M50 3AZ Telephone: 0870 787 5780 until 22nd including Saturday matinee’s September and Liverpool Empire, Lime Street from Tuesday 25th till Saturday 29th September; for tickets ring 0870 606 3536

Further details on King Cotton are also available on the website - www.kingcotton.co.uk


Malcolm Wood

^back to top