The Big Life: The Ska Musical Playtext

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by Paul Sirett and Tameka Empson

EROS!! Do your thing!

It's 1950s London, and Ferdy, Bernie, Dennis and Lennie arrive from the West Indies full of expectations and aspirations.

Eager to make successes of themselves, they are optimistic about what the future holds. Building this new life will take focus and sacrifice, and the young men make the bold decision to forswear wine and women for three whole years and devote themselves to their future in London.

However, Sybil, Mary, Zulieka and Kathy have other ideas and the men's resolve is put to the test as the reality of life in a less-than-welcoming England makes forgoing the warmth of female company hard to resist. Will the men stick with their idea of the Big Life, or will Eros have the final say?

A joyful and uplifting journey, where the story of Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost meets that of the Windrush generation in a fun-packed Ska musical. The Big Life returns to the stage twenty years after its Stratford East premiere and subsequent West End transfer.

This edition was published to coincide with the February 2024 production at London's Stratford East, presented in association with Chuchu Nwagu Productions Ltd.