It’s the 1980s. One of the Midland’s first Black Police officers and an acclaimed gospel guitarist, faces conflict on the streets, at work and in church. To bring harmony to all this discord he must find the spirit behind the letter of the law.
Inspired by the life of community hero Trevor Prince, Community Service is an emotional and uplifting theatre show, full of live music and wit. It is set against a backdrop of Thatcher’s Britain, the Handsworth Riots, miner’s strikes and casual racism. Meanwhile, in the Pentecostal Church a schism is being questioned by children who are listening to secular music on the radio and rebelling against the strict rules of their immigrant parents.
…too good to miss…a play about the importance of family and community and the strength that is sometimes needed to take the right path
Bristol Parent
An action packed kaleidoscope of social interactions
Broadway Baby
Remarkable in conception and pretty brilliantly performed
Behind the Arras
You can listen below to the New Wolsey Theatre podcast where James talks about the making of the show and the history of Stan’s Cafe. Thanks to the New Wolsey and @podtalkuk for the making and sharing of this …
Tour Dates
-
10 – 13 April, 2024
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry -
23 – 27 April 2024
Tobacco Factory, Bristol -
30 April and 1 May 2024
New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich -
2 – 4 May 2024
Derby Theatre -
8 – 11 May 2024
Birmingham Hippodrome -
ORIGINS Event
New Irish Centre, Birmingham
8 September, 2023
Credits
Devised & Performed by
Reisz Amos – Trevor
Kianyah Caesar-Downer – Mum/Janet
Tinashe Darikwa – Clive / Ken / Pastor
Yasmin Dawes – Marica
Dominic Thompson – Clive / Inspector
Band
Ashleigh Hepburn – Drums
Jamael Jarrett – Keyboards
CJ Thompson – Bass
Directed by
Reisz Amos
Steady Steadman
James Yarker
Musical Director – Reisz Amos
Movement Director – Steady Steadman
Text – James Yarker with the company
Costume Designer – Jhalesa Hewitt
Costume Mentor – Kay Wilton
Lighting Design – Nigel Edwards
Projection Design – Michael Ellis
Company Stage Manager – Immy Wood
Technical Stage Manager – Mya Forde
Graphic Design – Simon Ford
BSL Interpretation – Hyacinth Powell
Senior Producer – Nick Sweeting
General Manager – Michelle Smith
West Midlands Producer – Dominic Thompson
Assistant Producer – Lucy Bird
P.R. – Dave Freak
Marketing – Lucy Bird & Dominic Thompson
Production Photos – Graeme Braidwood
Projected Image Used Under Licence from
Vanley Burke, Pogus Caesar, Alamy, Michael Ellis,Richard Symonds, Emilian Robert Vicol, Alamy & Wordridden
With thanks to
The Prince Family, Former & current police officers who helped our research, The West Midlands Police Museum, Craig Stephens (Associate Director, Stan’s Cafe), Dave Howard (Creative Learning Producer, Stan’s Cafe), Jess Perks, Caitlin Freestone-Deeming, Vanley Burke, Kay Wilton, David Baker, Hugh Blackwood, Sean Bailey, Limbic Cinema, Pogus Caesar.
It was great to see the Patrick Studio so full and to be part of the rightly deserved standing ovation.
Culture Bab
I loved the contrasts of tragic and comic, lound and quiet, funny and serious on such a vital and heart rending subject
Corinne
Community Service ‘Origins’ a Windrush 75 Celebration
After four days of research and development work for Community Service we hosted an event celebrating the contribution of Windrush and subsequent generations to policing in the West Midlands.
This event mixed verbatim testimony from Black Police Officers with scenes from our early rehearsals. Steady did some DJing, Reisz led the house band playing some gospel songs and providing live music for the action. A food van was parked up outside the venue and it all worked out very nicely.