BiBi Crew facts for kids
BiBi Crew, started in 1991, was a special British comedy group. It was the first one made up entirely of Black actresses. Their performances and stories often focused on what it was like to be Black and British.
How BiBi Crew Started
In 1991, a group of talented women formed BiBi Crew in London. These women were Joanne Campbell, Judith Jacob, Janet Kay, Suzette Llewellyn, Josephine Melville, Beverley Michaels, and Suzanne Packer.
Some members, like Judith Jacob and Beverley Michaels, said they started the group because they saw a comedy group of Black male actors called The Posse. Michaels thought, "women should do this too!" and reached out to the others. Joanne Campbell also mentioned that the group came together after a special show at the Theatre Royal Stratford East. This show honored an actor named Calvin Simpson.
The name "BiBi Crew" has a cool meaning. "BiBi" means "lady" in languages like Swahili and Urdu. "Crew" was a popular word used by American music groups, and the women thought it made them sound "street smart." All the members had Caribbean backgrounds. They created shows that shared their own experiences and perspectives from an African Caribbean point of view.
They did everything themselves: they wrote, directed, produced, and acted in their shows. Their performances were a mix of music, dance, drama, and short comedy sketches. They often performed at the Theatre Royal Stratford East. This theatre wanted to show the many different cultures in Newham, where it was located. BiBi Crew also traveled and performed across the United Kingdom and in the United States.
Getting Back Together
BiBi Crew had a reunion in 2005. However, Joanne Campbell was not there because she had passed away in 2002. Janet Kay also did not join the reunion, as she was busy with her music career.
Their Impact
BiBi Crew played a big part in the rise of Black comedy in Britain during the 1990s. Along with groups like The Posse, they brought a fresh, energetic style to theatre for people of African descent living outside Africa. Their shows broke away from old ideas. They attracted Black audiences with short, often political, sketches that connected with shared experiences. Their performances at the Theatre Royal Stratford East also helped inspire later Asian comedy shows.
Their Shows
- On A Level (1992), performed at Theatre Royal Stratford East
- But Stop! We Got Work To Do (1995), performed at Bloomsbury Theatre
- Shut Down (2017), performed at Hackney Picturehouse
- Get Raunchy (2018), performed at Bernie Grant Arts Centre
See also
- The Real McCoy
- A Black Lady Sketch Show
