| Description | 'The Great Divide' was developed in response to criticism from audiences of 'The Race Show' [see MS 1611/B/3] .
Banner returned to its original research and performance development techniques grounded in actuality to develop 'The Great Divide'. This show handled racism within a framework of a wider political analysis of capitalist society. Speeches of Joseph Chamberlain and Oswald Moseley provided a context for the linkages between imperialism, racism and fascism. Actuality recordings from black and white workers in Birmingham and the West Midlands provided a contemporary insight to working class attitudes and experiences and a dispute at the Coneygre Foundry examined, charting its development from a racist matter to a class solidarity issue.
The production followed the classic Banner pattern of performances played out against a backdrop of slide projections of historical and contemporary images, covering aspects of slavery and modern factory life.
Peter Yates was involved in this production. He was also employed as a production assistant in the Audio Visual Centre at the University of Warwick at this time, which may account for papers contained within this series relating to the University's Cryfield Halls of Residence.
Note: These papers contain scripts and notes for 'The Race Show' where they form part of the script development process for this production. |