SOUL – a new play by Roy Williams
Inspired by JEANNE GAYE’S memoir BITTER SWEET
On April Fool’s Day 1984, hours before his 45th birthday, Marvin Gaye was shot dead by his father in the shared family home they called the ‘Big House.’ What happened there – and whether it was murder or suicide – has been shrouded in mystery since.
In charting the untold truths about what happened during Marvin Gaye’s haunting final days and celebrating his extraordinary life,Soul is a parable about an American family prepared to do anything to promote and protect their children. Not just the story of Marvin Gaye, but of many a musical icon whose family life has been crushed by the effects of their stardom, a searing portrait of the pitfalls of the American dream.
Written by BAFTA and Evening Standard Award-winning Roy Williams (Sucker Punch, Days Of Significance) in close collaboration with members of the family of Marvin Gaye, Soul is a dramatic thriller about one of the most influential musicians of our time. It is directed by Artistic Director James Dacre and features the Royal & Derngate Community Choir.
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The World's Greatest Musicians
By Smokey Robinson (For Rolling Stone)
At Motown, Marvin was one of the main characters in the greatest musical story ever told. Prior to that, nothing quite like Motown had ever existed — all those songwriters, singers, producers working and growing together, part family, part business — and I doubt seriously if it will ever happen like that again. And there’s no question that Marvin will always be a huge part of the Motown legacy.
When Marvin first came to Motown, he was the drummer on all the early hits I had with the Miracles. He and I became close friends — he was my brother, really — and I did a lot of production and wrote a lot of songs for him: “Ain’t That Peculiar,” “I’ll Be Doggone.” Of course, that means that I spent a lot of time waiting for Marvin. See, Marvin was basically late coming to the studio all the time. But I never minded, because I knew that whenever Marvin did get there, he was going to sing my song in a way that I had never imagined it. He would Marvinize my songs, and I loved it. Marvin could sing anything, from gospel to gutbucket blues to jazz to pop.
But Marvin was much more than just a great singer. He was a great record maker, a gifted songwriter, a deep thinker — a real artist in the true sense. What’s Going On is the most profound musical statement in my lifetime. It never gets dated. I still remember when I would go by Marvin’s house and he was working on it, he would say, “Smoke, this album is being written by God, and I’m just the instrument that he’s writing it through.”
Marvin really had it all — that voice, that soul, that look, too. He was one very handsome man. He had sex appeal and his music was sexy. You couldn’t blame women for falling in love with Marvin.
I said before that when you worked with Marvin, it meant you were waiting for Marvin. But Marvin was always worth the wait. I suppose that in a way, I’m still waiting for Marvin.
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-artists-of-all-time-19691231/marvin-gaye-20110420#ixzz42vsRvGOf
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Biographies of the ‘Marvin The Stage Play’ creative team
Roy Williams
Roy Williams began writing plays in 1990 and is now arguably one of the country’s leading dramatists. In 2000 he was the joint-winner of The George Devine Award and in 2001 he was awarded the Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright. He was awarded the OBE for Services to Drama in the 2008 Birthday Honours List.
His plays include WILDEFIRE (Hampstead Theatre), an adaptation of ANTIGONE (Pilot Theatre/UK Tour), ADVICE FOR THE YOUNG AT HEART (Theatre Centre), KINGSTON 14 (Theatre Royal Stratford East) an adaptation of THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER (Pilot Theatre/ UK Tour), SUCKER PUNCH (Royal Court Theatre, nominated for Olivier Award for Best Play), CATEGORY B (Tricycle Theatre), ANGEL HOUSE (Eclipse Theatre, UK Tour), DAYS OF SIGNIFICANCE (RSC), JOE GUY (Tiata Fahodzi), THERE’S ONLY ONE WAYNE MATTHEWS (Polka Theatre), BABY GIRL (NT Connections), an adaptation of ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS (Lyric Hammersmith), LITTLE SWEET THING (Nottingham Playhouse), SLOW TIME (NT Education), FALLOUT (Royal Court Theatre), SING YER HEART OUT FOR THE LADS (NT), CLUBLAND (Royal Court Theatre), THE GIFT (Birmingham Rep/Tricycle Theatre), LOCAL BOY (Hampstead Theatre), SOULS (Theatre Centre), LIFT OFF (Royal Court) , STARSTRUCK (Tricycle, Winner of John Whiting Award, Alfred Fagon Award & EMMA Award for Best Play), JOSIE’S BOY (Red Ladder Theatre Co) and THE NO-BOYS CRICKET CLUB (Theatre Royal, Stratford East) . He also contributed to the Royal Court’s PECKHAM THE SOAP OPERA.
His work for television includes LET IT SNOW (Endor Productions/Sky), FALLOUT (Company Pictures/ Channel 4, Screen Nation Award for Achievement in Screenwriting), OFFSIDE (BBC, Winner of BAFTA Children’s Film & TV Award for Best Schools Drama) and BABYFATHER (BBC). He is also the author of a short film OFF THE PAGE: DEATH OF ENGLAND (Royal Court Theatre/Guardian) and co-wrote FAST GIRLS (DJ Films).
For radio, his work includes adaptations of ER Braithwaite’s A CHOICE OF STRAWS and TO SIR WITH LOVE and original plays TELL TALE and HOMEBOYS. He has also created and written four series of INTERROGATION for BBC Radio 4.
James Dacre
James Dacre is Artistic Director of Royal & Derngate, Northampton. He was previously Associate Director at the New Vic Theatre and Theatre503.
Recent directing credits include Brave New World (Royal & Derngate and UK Tour), King John (Royal & Derngate / Shakespeare’s Globe / Salisbury International Festival, UK Theatre Award for Touring), The Hook (Royal & Derngate / Liverpool Everyman) A Tale of Two Cities (Royal & Derngate and UK Tour), The Body of an American (Royal & Derngate / The Gate Theatre, Evening Standard Award nomination), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Royal & Derngate / Royal Exchange Theatre / Northern Stage), The Accrington Pals (Royal Exchange Theatre, TMA Award for Best Design), King James Bible (National Theatre), The Mountaintop (Trafalgar Studios 1 / Theatre503, Olivier Award for Best New Play), As You Like It (Shakespeare’s Globe, European Tour and 2012 revival), Precious Little Talent (Trafalgar Studios, London Theatre Festival Award for Best Play, Evening Standard Award nomination), The Thrill of Love (New Vic / Stephen Joseph and transfer to St James Theatre), 4000 Miles (Bath Theatre Royal and transfer to The Print Room), Orpheus and Eurydice (Old Vic / National Youth Theatre), Nightshifts (Traverse), The Unconquered (UK tour and off-Broadway transfer), Judgement Day (The Print Room) and Desire Under the Elms, Copenhagen and Bus Stop (New Vic). Work Off-Broadway includes Baal, The Error of Their Ways, Work and Come and Go.
James has directed and developed new work by Arthur Miller, David Eldridge, Dawn King, Mike Poulton, Ron Hutchinson, Rachel Portman, These New Puritans, Katori Hall, Amanda Whittington, Dan O’Brien, White Lies, Dic Edwards, Suzan Lori Parks, Ed Kemp, Molly Davies, Torben Betts, Bekah Brunstetter and Ella Hickson amongst others. He has been awarded Fulbright and Schubert Fellowships in Theatre Directing and trained on the ITV/Channel 4 Regional Theatre Director’s Scheme.
Bob Blagden
Bob Blagden has been directing, writing and producing top Film & TV Drama for over 20 years. He’s won two television Baftas and had several RTS and Emmy nominations.
Current feature projects
HARRIET – drama/love story based on the true story of Harriet Hubbard Ayer, who brought the first face cream empire to America in 1886 and nearly died doing so – production 2016/7
First feature length documentary MY BROTHER MARVIN – the truth about Marvin Gaye – release is expected in 2016.
SOUL, the untold story of Marvin Gaye, Stage Play/Film by Roy Williams – production 2016.
FEVER, drama, a true story of a secret affair between a 30 year old Richard Burton and Rose Kingsland, a 13 year old girl.
STEALING SIMON, by Adam Mills – a dramedy about the kidnapping of Simon Cowell – production 2016.
BEING ALONE, romantic drama about Greta Garbo’s four loves, production 2016.
PSYCHIC HIT, psychic psychological thriller based on a true story of psychic Dixie Yeterian – producer/director/co-writer 2014/5.
SALADIN, Action Drama – the true story of Saladin who unified the divided Islamic world and defeated Richard the Lionheart in the Third Crusade. Production 2017.
MISSING, a human drama about wartime rape; a makeover comedy drama THE OTHER OTHER WOMAN; a TV prison drama THE PRINCE, the true story of a two times murderer; and THE BOY WHO STARTED WORLD WAR TWO?, a true drama about a boy who started WW11.
Completed features and shorts
ASHES and SAND (2002/3 – 108 minutes, Matador Pictures/Open Road Films/Magic Hour Pictures – debut feature film adapted from Judy Upton’s award winning stage play staring Nick Moran and Lara Belmont. Premiere at Cannes/AFM 2003, British premiere at CINE-CITY The Brighton Film Festival November 2003, official entry at the BLACK KNIGHTS International Film Festival 2003. Academy qualifying US release 2004.
DREAMCATCHER (2007 – 22 minutes) and BLIND DATE (2007 – 17 minutes) screened at 60th CANNES Film Festival.
LONG HAUL, written by Janet Paisley, starring Gary Lewis, nominated BAFTA in 2000, premiered at the 54th EDINBURGH FILM FESTIVAL, official selection at MILL VALLEY and MESSAGE TO MAN International Film Festivals.
HOPE I DIE BEFORE I GET OLD – first camcorder film, starring Nick Moran and Sharon Duncan-Brewster, first screened on BBC2 1993.
CONVERSION OF ST.PAUL won a Special Certificate of Merit at the European Short Film Awards 1989, theatrical release at Glasgow Jazz Film Festival.
TV credits
Twice BAFTA Award winner, nominated four times with a 1996 RTS Award nomination for feature-length police thriller BACK UP, EMMY nomination for ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL. His TV credits include: THE BROKER’S MAN, BACK UP, DR.FINLAY (97), HOPE I DIE BEFORE I GET OLD, THE BILL, SEDUCTION by Edmund White, LEAVING HOME by Julia Kearsley, CHOCKY by John Wyndham and THE TRIPODS.
www.imdb.com – Bob Blagden for more credits.
BAFTA Award winning graphic designer.
He is a member of BAFTA and Directors UK.
Company Director for Arolla Partners Ltd, Marvin, the Stage Play Ltd and 4 Hats Productions Ltd.
Jeanne Gaye
Jeanne Gaye was born and raised in Washington D.C. and is the eldest daughter
of four children born to Alberta and Marvin Gay (some family members added an “e” to their surname). Her father was a well-respected traveling minister who insisted on his family’s strict adherence to biblical principles. Her mother was a devout Christian who followed her husband’s rules and doted on her children.
Jeanne attended Cardozo High School in Washington, D.C. Her fascination with aviation compelled her to join the Civil Air Patrol, where she learned to pilot a single engine aircraft. She married twice, traveled the United States with her Air Force-enlisted husband, and raised five children.
Ms. Gaye spent many years in the corporate and entertainment world, as President of her brother Marvin’s Los Angeles-based company, Right-On Productions. She also headed her own company, Rising Star Management, promoting new entertainers, including her own brother, Frankie. In addition, she owned and managed Pop’s Chili Bowl, a popular fast-food restaurant in the heart of Los Angeles.
Alberta and her sisters were born slaves in North Carolina in the early 1900s. They endured hard labor and degradation during a time in U.S. history where “Negroes” were barely considered human. Yet, Alberta found solace in her belief in God and lived according to her understanding of His word.
In “Bittersweet,” Jeanne has penned Alberta’s incredible journey from a slave, whose own mother sold her to a white master for a few dollars; to wife of Marvin Gay, a charismatic traveling minister; to mother of superstar singer, Marvin Gaye. Jeanne and her siblings enjoyed a close and loving relationship with their mother, while paradoxically, their father slowly became a reclusive cross dresser and philanderer.
As Jeanne’s brother Marvin became a world famous R&B singer in the 1960s, he continued to lean on his mother’s spiritual counsel and wisdom, which served him well through his life’s challenges. With his mother’s guidance, Marvin became the superstar he was destined to be, but his fame and fortune did not come without struggles with Father Gay, ending in Marvin’s tragic death at the hands of his father.
“Bittersweet” recounts Alberta’s difficult life that ultimately strengthened her and her children’s lives and faith. It is the fascinating story of the humble woman behind a superstar. Despite marital problems, Alberta’s life revolved around raising and counseling her family in the ways of God; her faith never wavering. Alberta’s principles remain a staple in the Gaye family today, in spite of the loss of Marvin, Sr., Alberta, and Jeanne’s brothers, Marvin, Jr. and Frankie. Jeanne and her younger sister, Zeola (“Sweetsie”), are the sole surviving children of Alberta and Marvin Gay, Sr.
Now widowed and retired from the corporate world, Jeanne resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, along with most of her family, and is following her dream as an evangelist and author of children’s books.
Zair Al-Beyerty
Zair is CEO and Founder and CEO of the Global Mining Development Group, LPTSE, and the TripleHalo group of companies. Zair is an Astrophysics graduate who has worked in a diverse range of business sectors, with significant achievements in Technology (with Royal & SunAlliance and IBM), Business (with Accenture), Consultancy, Charity, Arts and Sciences.
Over the last two decades Zair’s career included a diverse mix of innovative and successful project management, Mining and Consultancy, data & transactional architecture design, as well as business and technology consultancy across a wide range of disciplines and organisational structures; this included financial services and consultancy multi-nationals (Accenture, IBM, EDS), dotcoms and business Incubators (RSA global eVentures, ThoughtInk), SME’s, charities (Global Links Initiative), start-ups and venture capital projects.
Zair is currently involved in a number of projects in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and South East Asia; in both a business and social development leadership role. He has extensively travelled to over 60 countries around the globe and is a firm believer of technology led development through ‘thinking globally but delivering locally’ methods. He continues to support structures that benefit personal empowerment and Social Entrepreneurship. In his spare time he is currently working on the management and financing of theatre plays and Films in the UK, middle East and the US (with Marvin The Stage Play Limited and 4 Hats Productions); as well as securing technology patents on new generation of Photovoltaic cells and technology led healthcare devices.
Closer to the flame
Post-show talks
Thu 16 Jun – Roy Williams discusses why this was such an important play for him to write, his inspirations, his research and how the show came together.
Wed 22 Jun – join Roy Williams and other speakers as they talk about the importance of diversity in the arts.
Both talks are FREE to tickets holders of that evening’s performance.
Access Performance
BSL Performance: Sat 25 Jun at 5pm, provided by Jacqui Beckford. A Hackney Empire and Royal & Derngate, Northampton co-production.
Tickets & Info
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+44-207-278-3331
Hackney Empire
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info@soultheplay.com