Barry Reckord facts for kids

Barrington John Reckord (born November 19, 1926 – died December 20, 2011), known as Barry Reckord, was a famous Jamaican playwright. He was one of the first writers from the Caribbean to make a big impact in British theatre. His brother, Lloyd Reckord, was an actor and director, and they often worked together.

Early Life and School

Barrington John Reckord was born in Kingston, Jamaica. He grew up in a place called Vineyard Town with his two brothers, Carol and Lloyd, and his sister Cynthia. He went to Kingston College. After finishing high school, he studied theology at St Peter's College in 1948.

In 1950, he won an Issa Scholarship to study at Cambridge University in England. He attended Emmanuel College and graduated in 1953.

Becoming a Playwright

Barry Reckord started writing plays while he was still a student. Several of his plays were performed at London's famous Royal Court Theatre. He was one of the first Black British playwrights to have a play shown there. Sometimes, his brother Lloyd would direct these plays.

His first play, Della, was performed in 1954. Later, it was produced at the Royal Court in 1958 under the name Flesh to a Tiger. This play had a cast of well-known actors like Cleo Laine and Johnny Sekka. It explored themes of power and community.

In 1961, the Royal Court also put on his play You in Your Small Corner. This play later became a TV show for ITV's Play of the Week series in 1962. This TV broadcast was notable for showing an important moment for its time.

Reckord's most successful play was Skyvers, first performed in 1963 at the Royal Court. A famous critic, Michael Billington, called it "one of the key plays of the 1960s." Skyvers is about the challenges faced by a group of teenage boys in south London during their last days at school. In 2012, it was broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

Barry Reckord also wrote other TV shows, like In the Beautiful Caribbean (1972) and Club Havana (1975) for the BBC. He also wrote a book about Cuba called Does Fidel Eat More Than Your Father (1971).

In 1973, he received a special award called the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship. In the same year, he was given the Silver Musgrave Medal by the Institute of Jamaica for his contributions to the arts.

Later Years

Barry Reckord lived most of his adult life in Britain. For over 40 years, he shared his life with his companion, Diana Athill, a writer.

In his final years, Barry Reckord became unwell. He moved back to Jamaica to live with his family. He passed away in December 2011 in Boscobel, Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica, at the age of 85. He had wished for his body to be donated to the University of the West Indies for medical research.

His Legacy

On September 23, 2012, a special event called "Reckord Celebrations" was held in London to honor Barry Reckord's life and work. Many famous people from the theatre world, like Kwame Kwei-Armah and Don Warrington, took part.

At this event, the Barry Reckord Bursary was launched. This award helps new playwrights from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds. The first person to receive this bursary was Ravi Thornton in January 2013. This bursary helps keep Barry Reckord's spirit of encouraging new talent alive.

In April 2017, a theatre company called Thee Black Swan put on a new production of Reckord's play White Witch in London. This was the first time the play was performed in the UK. The play is set in 18th-century Jamaica at Rose Hall mansion. It tells a story of love and conflict during the time of the transatlantic slave trade. The play received excellent reviews, with critics calling it a "powerful play."

Selected Plays

• 1953: Della (Ward Theatre, Kingston, Jamaica)
• 1954: Adella (London)
• 1958: Flesh to a Tiger (Royal Court Theatre, London)
• 1960: You in Your Small Corner (Royal Court); adapted for TV in 1962
• 1963, 1971: Skyvers (Royal Court)
• 1969: Don't Gas the Blacks (Royal Court; directed by Lloyd Reckord)
• 1970: A Liberated Woman (Royal Court)
• 1973: Give the Gaffers Time To Love You (Royal Court, Theatre Upstairs)
• 1974: X (Royal Court, Theatre Upstairs)
• 1975: White Witch of Rose Hall (Creative Arts Centre, University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica, October 4)
• 1984: Streetwise
• 1988: Sugar D (Barn Theatre, Kingston, Jamaica)