After a sell-out run in 2017, the critically-acclaimed We are the Lions, Mr. Manager returns to Tara Theatre, telling the remarkable story of Jayaben Desai, the inspirational leader of the 1976-78 Grunwick Film Processing Factory Strike. Desai was recently recognised as one of the female figures to have had the biggest impact on women’s lives over the past 70 years, as part of BBC Radio 4’s Women’s Hour Power List.
We spoke to Medhavi Patel, who plays Jayaben Desai to find out more.
You’re appearing in We Are the Lions, Mr Manager, what can you tell us about it?
‘We Are The Lion’s Mr Manager’ is a political yet entertaining play which explores the journey of the inspirational strike leader, Jayaben Desai. She fought for workers’ rights and against exploitation of workers with defiance and great courage. This small dispute at Grunwick in North London soon became a national movement for human rights, dignity and freedom, inspiring people from diverse workforces and across country to join in solidarity against mistreatment of workers and their rights to union and better working conditions.
How would you describe your character?
Jayaben is a force not to reckoned with, she is assertive, direct and unapologetic when it comes to her beliefs and culture. As a child she came from the era of Mahatma Ghandi and this shaped her patriotic personality and instilled in her from a young age a great sense of serving justice and to always stand on the side of that which was right and honest.
What does it mean to you to be playing such an important real-life character?
Presently, there is a great wave of distaste and change in the air around the inequality shown to women across the board whether this be in the work place or at home.
Jayaben showed that there is no mountain high enough that she would not climb.
She cared for the way women were perceived at the time, she wanted to change perceptions that Asian women were meek and easily suppressed. Her determination to carry on fighting at a time when being an immigrant and a woman was against you, shows her defiant and courageous nature. These things are important as Asian women ‘if not’ most women are perceived to be the submissive and subservient sex.
Bringing people from all walks of life together by highlighting issues which so many were facing at the time, it was the first struggle and movement which saw the acceptance of immigrant worker into a wider workforce. This is significant and inspiring as it shows that together people can achieve anything if determined and willing to set aside prejudice and propaganda and accept that exploitation of workers (gender pay gaps, zero hour contracts, sexual harassment, racism, sexism, poor working conditions, low pay and many more) is a joint and universal struggle. We need to be cognisant of this but also stand against it together if we truly want to see a change. I feel that Jayaben did this for her time, whether knowingly or unknowingly she struck a match which still burns bright today and playing her character makes me proud and thirsty for more knowledge, to learn and know further of the female leaders and revolutionist of the past , the unsung heroines so to speak as they have, in the main been written out of history by men.
Did you know much about Jayaben Desai, or did you have to do some research?
I am sad to admit that I knew nothing about Jayaben prior to the casting of her role but the breakdown for me was unique and empowering. I did some research, but it was very difficult to find things specifically about her from the time. There was a huge amount of information about the strike and the struggle but not enough about her.
I am grateful to Louise Townsend (Director and Producer- Townsend Productions) and Neil Gore (Playwright, Producer – Townsend Productions) for providing me with archived footage of interviews with Jayaben from Warwick University. I also read ‘Finding a Voice’ by Amrit Wilson which profoundly opened my eyes to the many other struggles of the time by South Asian women as well as Jayaben’s account of the Grunwick dispute. I was also able to speak to members of Jayaben’s family and met with other pickets at the Grunwick40 mural unveiling in North London in September 2017.
I have found that many others along with myself were not aware of who Jayaben was or of the strike. It was not something which was passed down through generations or even spoken about, but then again how often are women of the past celebrated. I am still learning about Jayaben and I will continue to do so throughout this tour.
The production has been touring, how have you found that?
The Production has been very well received throughout the UK, I am not sure if we have left any stone unturned or any town uncharted. The play itself explores such relevant and current issues that it speaks to anyone who has come to see it (whether they know of the strike already or not). We explore political theatre in an entertaining and non-bombarding way with bits of humour, music and narration. The piece does not have a fourth wall, we directly engage with audience members by making them our pickets alongside with Jayaben as well as getting them to sing along with Neil.
The tour has been extensive and requires a lot of energy and patience, it is by no means glamourous or easy. It is not realistic to constantly be full of energy or have the best mental or physical health for elongated periods with changing weather conditions and long hours on the road, however when we put the set up and the show is ready to go, it is the audience who remind us of why we are doing what we are doing.
When you have a love for what you do coupled with an inspiring and relevant piece, you always find the energy, not only to give a great show, but also to engage with the audience and take them with you on the journey.
‘The Show Must Always Go On’
Tell us about I’ll Say It Again Festival, of which this is part of?
The festival celebrating stories of brave women, sisterhood, freedom, civil rights and much more begins at Tara Theatre on Wednesday 2nd May. The ‘I’ll Say It Again!’ festival marks the centenary of women’s suffrage. The festival is motivated and inspired by revolutionary women of the past and present and is creatively explored and entertained through several beautiful artistic mediums.
‘We Are The Lion’s Mr Manager’ will be performed on Monday 7th May. I am also excited be involved in a week-long development programme ‘Food for Thought’ as a part of the festival at Tara Theatre, led by Anjali Mya Chadha. The programme which focuses on ‘Food and Empowerment’ where five ideas by five different wonderful women will be turned into new solo performances and premiered as works-in-progress on Friday 25th May.
What an exciting and inspirational festival to be a part of, there is sure to be something for everyone!
We are the Lions, Mr. Manager is at Tara Theatre as part of a tour on Monday 7th May 2018.
