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From Mick Jagger to Crossroads: the pioneering career of Cleo Sylvestre | Stage

Published

5 hours ago

September 21, 2024

Although named after a Shakespeare heroine, Cleopatra Sylvestre – more often known personally and professionally as Cleo – had to wait until very late in a long career to play one of the playwright’s women on a major stage. Last year, she was cast at Stratford-upon-Avon as Audrey in As You Like It, in a touching production using the conceit of older actors recreating a Royal Shakespeare Company show they appeared in decades before.

As the programme noted that this was the RSC debut of Sylvestre, who has died aged 79, it was clear the framing device was fake. And, given the talent and success of an actor who made her West End debut aged 19, the belated bestowal of such a role is a measure of the obstacles that actors of colour long faced in the UK.

The gaps are even more striking because Sylvestre’s career had initially seemed fast-tracked. The daughter of a Yorkshire dancer, she turned the family kitchen table in north London into her first stage, dancing on it as a child, and enrolled at the Italia Conti juvenile theatre school. Aged 16, she bunked off from double biology to record a song with the Rolling Stones. A cover of To Know Him Is to Love Him, it was released in 1964, under the name Cleo. This proved a false start artistically, but Sir Mick Jagger reported being “so sad” at the death of his “old friend”, who stands in pop history as the first woman to record with the Stones.

There were also other striking early breakthroughs. In 1967, aged only 19, she acted alongside Sir Alec Guinness in the London West End in Wise Child, the first play by Simon Gray. Two years later, she became the first black woman to play a lead role at the National Theatre – in Peter Nichols’ comedy, The National Health – and, in the same period, achieved the equivalent of that landmark in a major TV soap opera, with a recurring role in ATV’s Crossroads.

In a 2015 letter to The Guardian, after the death of the TV show’s creator, Hazel Adair, Sylvestre wrote: “It was not long after Enoch Powell’s “rivers of blood” speech. At a time when racial tension was quite high, especially in places such as Birmingham where the show was based, the decision to introduce a main character who was black was unprecedented and a brave decision for a soap that was sometimes ridiculed.”

Through no fault of her performances, much ridicule also attended her other launch platforms. In Wise Child, Guinness played a criminal blackmailed into pretending to be the mother of a young man. Gray, who had a sideline in diaries and articles about his playwriting disasters, reported customers demanding their money back in the interval as Guinness did not seem to be in the play. One couple, who had realised he was playing the heroine, shouted, “Sir Alec, how could you?” as they walked out.

But, though playing a role that the dramatist himself dismissed as “a simple-minded cockney West Indian”, Sylvestre impressed enough to receive an acting award nomination and a dressing room visit from Sir Laurence Olivier, artistic director of the National Theatre, who gushed, she would recall, in the perfect “Larry” imitation that all actors of her generation had: “Oh, Miss Sylvestre, I’d just like to congratulate you on the most wonderful performance.”

Two years later, she was at the National in Nichols’ comedy about the NHS. In both The National Health and Crossroads, Sylvestre played nurses. This would now be seen as stereotyping – although it reflected one of the great contributions of immigration to the UK – but the point was that the roles were of a size being written at the time only for white actors.

In interviews, Sylvestre continued to be grateful to Olivier for the break. It is not clear, though, if she was aware of a shocking complication in his patronage. Published in 2013, The National Theatre Story, the organisation’s official history, endorsed a story told in Nichols’ Diaries 1969-1977 (2000). Using language that would have appalled many then and is completely abhorrent now, Olivier is reported to have said, after the first night of The National Health: “Much as I admire the negro races, I’m not great admirer of their histrionic abilities … D’you think the regular girls in the company should black up?”

Such attitudes may explain why, in theatre, Sylvestre never subsequently developed quite the momentum that her early successes suggested, although later National Theatre administrations treated her much better. In 2021, she sparkled in a stage version of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood and former NT boss Sir Nicholas Hytner cast her, in 2018, in Alan Bennett’s hospital-set play, Allelujah, at his Bridge Theatre, where she had graduated from nurse to patient.

On TV, Sylvestre was in regular demand for character parts from Z Cars in 1967 via Grange Hill in 1979 to Platform 7 and All Creatures Great and Small as recently as last year.

In an interview late in her career, she was asked for advice for the next generations of her profession and replied: “To young actors, I would say acting must be a passion; there will be rejection, but that ‘dream job’ is waiting around the corner.”

It was a characteristically generous response from someone who – due to the slowness of cultural change in British showbusiness – faced much rejection and was denied many of the dream jobs that her pioneering achievements make possible for those who follow her.

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Strictly 2024 leaderboard: The scores from week one of the BBC dance competition

Published

24 mins ago

September 22, 2024

NewsAdmin

Strictly 2024 leaderboard: The scores from week one of the BBC dance competition

Week one of Strictly Come Dancing was packed with impressive performances that rocketed up the leaderboard.

On Saturday (21 September) all 15 couples performed live for the first time before the voting – and first elimination of the series – happens next weekend.

At the top of the leaderboard this week is JB Gill and Amy Dowden, who made a triumphant return to Strictly after being too ill to compete in last year’s series as she recovered from treatment for stage three breast cancer.

Their classic Waltz to “When I Need You” by Leo Sayer received a standing ovation from the studio audiences. The performance also impressed all four judges, and saw them receive 31 points out of a possible 40.

Closely behind them is Love Island star Tasha Ghouri who stunned the judges with a celebrated Cha Cha to Sabrina Carpenter’s summer anthem “Espresso”. The influencer was left ecstatic after receiving a score of 30.

Miranda actor Sarah Hadland also receives a score of 30 for her Quickstep to “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton – the highest mark a Quickstep has ever received in week one of the competition.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the scale is punk-rock singer Toyah Willcox, with 12 out of 40, and former Arsenal player Paul Merson receiving just 17 for his American Smooth to the football anthem “Vindaloo”.

Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell perform on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ (BBC/Guy Levy)

Here is this week’s leaderboard in full, with the individual marks from judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke:

JB Gill and Amy Dowden (7+8+8+8) = 31

Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec (8+8+7+7) = 30

Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola (8+8+7+7) = 30

Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe (6+7+6+7) = 26

Wynne Evans and Katya Jones (6+6+7+7) = 26

Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell (4+6+6+7) = 23

Sam Quek and Nikita Kuzmin (6+6+6+5) = 23

Tom Dean and Nadiya Bychkova (5+6+6+6) = 23

Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas (6+6+5+6) = 23

Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu (4+6+5+6) = 21

Punam Krishan and Gorka Márquez (4+5+5+5) = 19

Nick Knowles and Luba Mushtuk (3+5+5+5) = 18

Paul Merson and Karen Hauer (2+4+5+6) = 17

Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał (4+5+3+5) = 17

Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones (2+4+2+4) = 12

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بث مباشر | قناة المغاربية Almagharibia TV Live Stream

Published

45 mins ago

September 21, 2024

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Strictly Come Dancing’s winning brand of chaos overshadows months of scandal

Published

1 hour ago

September 21, 2024

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In the lead up to the first Strictly Come Dancing live show of the season, there was a huge question mark hanging over the dance competition. How would the show address the months of scandal that have threatened to tarnish Strictly’s primetime sparkle, with allegations of backstage bullying?

Would we see behind the scenes footage of chaperones sitting in on rehearsals (each couple now has a member of staff present during all practices)? Would Tess and Claudia solemnly refer to the new welfare measures, just as they assiduously reminded us about social distancing when the show aired during Covid? Would Shirley Ballas make a speech? In the end, none of that happened. Instead, Strictly returned to doing what it does best – giving us a dose of glitzy, escapist chaos that played out like a surrealist fever dream, but with mahogany fake tans. It was a (slightly unhinged) business as usual approach that paid off.

Host Claudia Winkleman seemed to be channeling Princess Leia as she sauntered onto the ballroom floor wearing a white dress with a high neck and flowing sleeves (although over on Instagram, she hinted that she’d actually been inspired by the Greek crooner and kaftan aficionado Demis Roussos). Her out-there sartorial choices seemed to set the tone for an episode that really leaned into Strictly’s camp, larger-than-life character.

Soon, DIY SOS’s Nick Knowles was prancing around dressed like an intergalactic Bob the Builder, wearing a glitzy hi-vis vest, before he had some cake thrown in his face by pro dancer Carlos Gu. Miranda star Sarah Hadland was trying to teach her dance partner Vito Coppola how to make a decent cup of tea. And Pete Wicks, he of almost every reality show you can name, came down from the ceiling on a rope to perform a stompy Paso Doble. If the producers were hoping to distract viewers from the previous bad PR by just throwing weirder and weirder spectacles in front of us, they succeeded. Do we really need hand wringing when we can have the Dave Arch band gamely trying to cover The Prodigy?

Most baffling of all? Paul Merson and Karen Hauer’s American Smooth routine, performed to, wait for it, “Vindaloo” by Fat Les, a song that doesn’t exactly lend itself to well, smooth moves. Merson, who has been called up to fill the requisite “woefully bad footballer” slot previously occupied by his former Arsenal teammate Tony Adams, stomped around the floor, kicked a massive football and kept jumping up while clutching the air, as if clinging on to an imaginary space hopper. Was it entertaining or just plain stupid? Who knows, but arguing the case either way was pretty fun.

Two left feet: Paul Merson and Karen Hauer plodded through an American Smooth (BBC/Guy Levy)

Even the judges seemed to be embracing the sense of chaos in the air. Head judge Shirley Ballas kept getting up to do miniature performances, showing exactly how each move could be perfected; at one point she kissed a bemused Motsi Mabuse on the lips. The newly bearded Craig Revel Horwood said one dancer looked more like they were strolling round a steelworks than performing (why a steelworks, Craig?) And Anton du Beke said what everyone was thinking when he pointed out that pro dancer Gorka Marquez (who is paired this year with Morning Live GP Dr Punam Krishan) never misses an opportunity to show off his abs. Going a bit off piste like this felt much truer to Strictly spirit than trying to rake over old scandals.

And then, to finish things off? Wynne Evans, aka that singing bloke from the “Go Compare” advert, burst out from under a silver dish wearing a chef’s hat and started singing along to a Tom Jones track (he’s Welsh, don’t you know?) before samba-ing around the floor with his partner, the ever-patient Katya Jones. The biggest surprise of all? For all of the strange buffet-themed props, he was actually quite good – perhaps there’s scope for him to do a Bill Bailey and go from wild card to potential winner.

History making: Chris McCausland is the show’s first blind contestant (BBC/Guy Levy)

There were also moments that remind us of just how powerful Strictly can be, too, like when comedian Chris McCausland, the show’s first ever blind contestant, took to the dance floor to perform a routine to “Twist and Shout” with partner Dianne Buswell. It was a truly impressive feat. And Amy Dowden’s return with new partner JB Gill, after taking a year off from the show to undergo treatment for cancer, received a worthy standing ovation.

Glimmers of emotion like these in amongst the panto-worthy pandemonium made tonight’s show classic Strictly. It was a big, mad sparkly riposte to all the naysayers who said that the show couldn’t go on (and yes, I was among them) – proof that there’s plenty of charm left in this format.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday 28 September on BBC One

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রাখালের ভালোবাসা । Love Story । Bangla Natok । Riyaj & Tuhina । Moner Moto TV

Published

2 hours ago

September 21, 2024

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Strictly Come Dancing: Shirley Ballas kisses Motsi Mabuse during first live show

Published

3 hours ago

September 21, 2024

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Strictly Come Dancing: Shirley Ballas kisses Motsi Mabuse during first live show

Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas surprised viewers when she kissed Motsi Mabuse on the first live show of the 2024 series.

The dancer and TV judge, 63, was giving feedback to the Olympic swimmer Tom Dean and his professional partner Nadiya Bychkova on their tango when the unexpected moment occurred.

Ballas asked Mabuse to stand up behind the judges’ table to demonstrate a tango hold to Dean, telling the sportsman: “It’s all in the posture.”

As Ballas took Mabuse by the hand, Anton Du Beke praised the two women and could be heard repeatedly saying “go on girls”.

In the middle of the demonstration, Ballas pecked Mabuse on the mouth, causing the former Strictly professional dancer to widen her eyes in surprise.

Strictly viewers were quick to comment on the kiss on X/Twitter, with one fan writing: “Motsi and Shirley kissing live on Strictly to give us the same sex representation we’re missing this series lmao [laughing my a** off].”

Meanwhile, another fan joked: “Omg the lesbian Motsi and Shirley. I’m shaking at all this gayness.”

Shirley Ballas kisses Motsi Mabuse on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ (BBC)

It comes shortly after Ballas revealed that she has suffered a cancer scare after being encouraged by her Strictly Come Dancing colleague Amy Dowden to attend a routine mammogram.

Ballas explained that doctors discovered lumpy tissue in her left breast after a routine examination, and she has been feeling emotional as she awaits news of the biopsy.

“I’m worried I’ve worked myself to death,” she told The Sun. “It’s been terrifying, to have the needle go in your body to numb it before the biopsy.

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“I feel very emotional. I’m not the same at work at the moment, so I’m teaching, but it’s constantly on my mind.”

Craig Revel Horwood, Mabuse, Ballas and Anton Du Beke on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ (BBC/Guy Levy)

Ballas, who has judged on the hit BBC dance competition since 2017, then noted the impact of professional dancer Amy Dowden on her decision to attend her scheduled mammogram.

Dowden made a triumphant return to Strictly following a mastectomy, chemotherapy, fertility treatment and hospital care for sepsis on Saturday night (21 September).

“You are back home,” Ballas told the professional dancer after she took to the floor.

Dowden later told the show’s presenter Claudia Winkleman: “I’m so happy I could burst.”

Follow the Strictly Come Dancing live blog here.

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