Leonie Forbes: Doyenne of Theatre, Film, Radio and Television Fondly Remembered

‘It’s been great, it’s been wonderful; bans o’ [a lot of] sacrifice though, you know.’

By Neil Armstrong

Photo credit: Marcia Brown      Leonie Forbes arriving at the Toronto  Pearson International Airport to perform in the Aston Cooke's play, Country Duppy, presented by Marcia Brown

 

Leonie Forbes, the doyenne of theatre, film, radio and television — known as ‘Jamaica’s First Lady of Theatre and Film’ — died on October 25 in Jamaica. She was 85. Since the news of her passing, there has been an outpouring of tributes. She has been described as the queen of Jamaican theatre, Jamaica’s star, an icon, a theatre giant of a woman, a phenomenal actress, a special woman, a brilliant woman, and a grand lady. Lionized by many, Forbes was a titan of the arts.

 

I will share some reflections of her and have also invited a few thespians who shared the stage with her in pantomimes, plays, or were directed by her in plays to add their tributes. In one case, the head of a Jamaican arts and culture organization in Toronto that hosted her and Easton Lee 21 years ago remember the praise Forbes received at the event.

 

I met Leonie Forbes and Alma Mock Yen at the Radio Education Unit at The University of the West Indies in my early years at Radio Jamaica Ltd. (RJR) when my colleagues and I did the training for broadcasters. Both co-authored Radio: Re-entry into Sound, a series of workbooks on audio production and presentation for English-speaking students in the Caribbean. We had mutual friends at the Caribbean Institute of Mass Communication (CARIMAC) when I studied.

 

It would be years later that we would meet again — this time in the studio of CHRY Radio at York University where I did an extensive interview with her about her life in broadcasting, theatre, film, radio and television. We did this in November 2000 when Forbes was in Toronto to perform the lead in Marcia Brown’s presentation of Aston Cooke’s play, Country Duppy.

 

She was impressed with the depth of my research, but more important was the level of comfort we developed in the studio during the interview. I have it saved on an audio cassette in my archives of taped interviews. When I asked what led her to the career paths she chose, this was her answer:

 

“If I answer you, I probably won’t speak the truth because I honestly don’t know (laughing). A number of things happened. For instance, as a child Sunday School was very important, and the kind of mother I had you had to learn the text. And if there was a little concert, you had to be a part of it. She wasn’t having any no thing about that. And then in school as well, I didn’t really see a true performance until I saw Miss Lou. I think just a little before I was about nine and then after that it was just getting involved in those things. And then she thought I ought to be a civil servant or a nurse or a teacher and, for some reason, I didn’t want any of those things, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted. So I did in fact learn shorthand and typing and that sort of thing — still not certain what I wanted to do. But then it was my good fortune that my first job was at the university with Sir Philip Sherlock and you had people around like Errol Hill and Noel Vaz and George Lamming and Lloyd Reckord and his brother, Barry, so I got interested in this thing. Next thing I know I was in one of Barry’s plays, then I was auditioning for the pantomime and I thought I like this. 

 

“Well, mother didn’t really approve, you know, cause she thought nobody sensible could talk about acting as something serious to do so she volunteered to get me a cart and stock it with ground provisions cause she figured that that is all that was going to happen. But I must say now that it has all fallen into place, so to speak. She’s a very big supporter, very critical, at least up until the time before she lost sight in one eye, glaucoma, sort of thing, but up until that point I couldn’t get away on stage. If I thought I had and she was in the audience, as soon as I got home she would point it out.  But she followed everything and so on.

 

“Then from that secretarial stroke, amateur theatre work, I got into radio theatre and there was a gentleman who was sent out by the BBC to set up radio theatre for the new JBC. This was like 1959; I know it’s going to date me but not to worry. And he thought that I ought to get some training, but I was kind of smiling on the other side of my face. I say yes, they tell us all that, you know, and so on. And then he said, no, we’re going to do an audition so it was taped. I even remember the operator who taped it, Cecil Watt. Robin Michelin was his name and we had a photographer… who did some photographs. Robin left Jamaica, went back to England, sent it in to the Royal Academy and a couple or three months down the line, I got a letter from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art saying we’re very pleased to offer you a scholarship. I was beside myself. Of course, I didn’t know how I was going to live because at the time there was just one relative that I knew of over there and I thought, oh boy. Another friend of mine, Vera Hyatt, Charlie’s wife, she said no, no, no, you can’t not take up that opportunity. Let us speak with the British Council and they said, oh yes, yes, yes, the Royal Academy, but of course. I got a bursary and that was how it all began.

 

“Outside of broadcasting which I was doing then, I trained, worked with people like Adrian Robinson and Dennis Hall, and I loved it; I really did. And I kept in touch with that, even in England, because sometimes you’ll earn extra working with the BBC Overseas Service and in their repertory theatre. So it helped a lot. And then when that was finished and I graduated; I went back home because really I didn’t go to stay any place else. I went back home and by then we had television so apart from the radio work I was now into TV and still hanging onto the stage. In fact, you could call it a three-way marriage you know (laughter) and it worked. Right now, I’m not so much into the broadcasting except in terms of training young broadcasters at the institute at UWI and through the Radio Education Unit. It’s mainly stage and TV. Of course, every now and then there’s a nice film or something because a few years ago, I was up here doing Soul Survivor with Stephen and Peter [Williams, both brothers]. They’re from Jamaica and that was marvellous. And before that there was Milk and Honey. I still do things for the BBC for Channel 4 with Madge Sinclair who did The Orchid House, which was a four-part series, and we did that in Dominica in 1990 and then it came out after that. 

 

“It’s been great; it’s been wonderful. Bans o’ [a lot of] sacrifice though, you know, like missing my daughter’s graduation and she still hasn’t forgiven me quite. I tek all mi pay at that to buy har a beautiful ring and every now and then she reminds me ‘no my dear, she wasn’t at my graduation at all.’ So I know I have to come up with something exceptionally nice, although they understood because they used to come to rehearsals. I got four — they used to come to rehearsals with me and, in fact, if my sons did not approve of the script I wouldn’t do it. The second boy — very quiet soul — very much into the technical side of things and he would sort of flip through it and say no, yuh not doing that, it too rude. And that would be that.”

 

I asked Forbes if it became a family affair and she said in a sense it was because that was the only time she could get with them. 

 

“Maybe I think is quality time but it was something else for them, but at least it kept us together. And we’d rehearse at home and sometimes I’d have to play the fool, the same moonshine darling out on the grass. And all of that to keep us together so that they would be aware of what I am outside, of what’s happening outside, because I didn’t want any of the glitter — and there’s not much of it — or any of that side of it to touch them too much. I managed, they haven’t, but they’re very supportive of whatever I do and they’re always at opening night and things like that.”

All images contributed by Marcia Brown: Country Duppy poster, cast members:  playwright Aston Cooke, Marcia Brown, Michael Nicholson, Leonie Forbes, Kevin Sinclair and Naggo Morris; and Leonie Forbes in character

 

I would see her several times after that interview performing in plays, or in films produced by award-winning filmmaker Frances-Anne Solomon of CaribbeanTales Inc. here in Toronto. Forbes was one of Solomon’s closest friends.

 

When Louise Bennett-Coverley, known by many as Miss Lou, passed away on July 26, 2006 here in Toronto, Forbes attended the Service of Thanksgiving at Revivaltime Tabernacle on August 3 and shared a tribute. She gave me a copy of it to use in a 20-page special feature in celebration of Miss Lou that I edited for the Gleaner Company’s Canada office.

 

In that tribute to Miss Lou, Forbes mentions the 1957 pantomime, Busha Bluebeard, written by Louise Bennett, directed by Lloyd Reckord, and starring Miss Lou, Ranny Williams, Charles Hyatt, Maud Fuller and other cast members. Among those in supporting roles were Forbes, Trevor Rhone, Louis Marriott, Karl Binger, Ewart Walters, Joy Baylis, Pat Miller and others. She shared a glimpse behind the curtain of the “warm, open-hearted woman” that Miss Lou was — noting that she was seen as “a true mother figure, physically and emotionally.”

 

“My fondest recollection of her, however, is when we acted together in the 1973 revival of the Pantomime named “Queenie’s Daughter.” She played the mother and I the daughter, and we sang a duet I shall remember till I die. It was called “Lion Heart,” a title that describes Miss Lou herself,” writes Forbes about Louise Bennett-Coverley. 

 

She recited the words of the song (and sang some verses) noting that the duet seems the most fitting tribute she could pay Miss Lou.

 

Fe me love got lion heart, fe me love got lion heart

Strong and everlasting, only fe you.

Fe me love will never done, fe me love will never done

Shining like the sunshine, only fe you.

 

The veteran actor is featured with Miss Lou in Literature Alive, a series of films produced by CaribbeanTales and Leda Serene Films. The 30-minute documentary, Miss Lou: Then and Now, is one of 13 point-of-view documentaries on Caribbean Canadian authors featured in the Literature Alive film series. 

Leonie Forbes and Carolyn Goulbourne, then JIS information attache, hanging out with me at the Jamaican Canadian Association

 

In the February 1993 issue of Jamaica Journal, an article written by Rex Nettleford — “Fifty Years of The Jamaican Pantomime 1941-1991” — references creative dance in pantomime and mentions Forbes:

 

“From this point, dance started to help advance the plot rather than being used only in set pieces fitted into the performance. The idea of the triple-threat performer (actor-singer-dancer rolled into one) gained currency. Alma Mock Yen (especially as Mantaripa in Carib Gold), Leonie Forbes and, later, Dorothy Cunningham (in numerous pantos) are up to now the best examples of this new persona on the panto stage.”

 

Forbes was born on June 14, 1937 and grew up in Kingston where she attended St. George’s Preparatory, Merrywood Elementary School, Mico Practising School, Kingston Senior School, Excelsior College and Durham College. 

 

 Arts & Culture Jamaica Inc. based in Toronto presented An Evening of Dramatic Readings and Poetry with Leonie Forbes and Easton Lee on May 5, 2001 at The Toronto Centre for the Arts. The printed programme for that evening notes the following:

 

“Upon her return to Jamaica, Leonie joined the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) for a two-year period before leaving for Australia where she performed on stage, did radio and television as well as work in films. 

 

“Her sense of adventure and spirit of “joie de vivre”, kept her on the move. She returned to her native Jamaica in 1970 where she took over the running of the FM Radio division of the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation and resumed her acting career, soon becoming the leading actress in Jamaica.” 

 

Forbes received many awards for her achievement on the stage, in film, and on radio and television. In 1974, she was awarded the Institute of Jamaica’s Centenary medal and a Bronze Musgrave medal; the Order of Distinction in 1980 and the Silver Musgrave medal in 1987 for outstanding work in theatre and broadcasting.

 

Alongside writing a number of plays for radio and television, she wrote a collection of poetry, Moments by Myself. In 2013, Leonie: Her Autobiography: The Journey of a Jamaican Woman as told to Mervyn Morris was published by LMH Publishing.

 

Forbes had a leading role in several films here in Toronto including: Lord Have Mercy, a Canadian TV sitcom produced by Leda Serene Films, first shown on Vision TV in 2003; A Winter Tale, a 2007 Canadian drama film written, directed and produced by Frances-Anne Solomon featuring Peter Williams, Leonie Forbes and Dennis “Sprangalang” Hall; Soul Survivor, a 1995 Canadian drama directed by Stephen Williams; Milk and Honey, the 1988 Canadian drama co-written by Trevor Rhone; among others.

 

In 2007, the ReelWorld Film Festival honoured Forbes with an Award of Excellence in Toronto for her more than 50 years in the business.

 

I watched her perform in Easton Lee’s play The Rope and The Cross in April 2021 in a virtual presentation that was done in honour of Lee who passed away in January that year. 

 

Walk good, Leonie.

 

 

Tributes to Leonie Forbes

 

From Paula de Ronde, founder and former president of Arts & Culture Jamaica Inc., about the evening of dramatic readings and poety with Leonie Forbes & Easton Lee on May 5, 2001:

 

She was wonderful to work with.  A consummate actor who so generously offered her expertise, including the selection to be presented.

 

Her voice gave another dimension to the poetry whether in Jamaican Patois or standard English.

 

It was a while ago but I can remember the satisfaction and many kudos for her.

 

She will be missed.

 

May she rest in Peace.

Photo contributed by Canute Lawrence      Leonie Forbes, Canute Lawrence and Suzanne Beadle, senior lecturer at Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, and artistic director of Soul Art

Photo contributed by Canute Lawrence         Canute Lawrence visits Leonie Forbes at her home  and  shows off a mango from the bag of East Indian mangoes she gave him

 

From actor, author and educator Canute Lawrence: 

 

Throughout my acting career, I got the golden opportunity to work with Leonie Forbes during the 1990s in a West Indian play at the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts. (I can't remember the title of it right now). Oh, I believe it was Derek Walcott's "Dream on Monkey Mountain"! I was quite intimidated yet very excited to work with Miss Lee because for me, she was Jamaica's equivalent of Elizabeth Taylor! She was always elegant, graceful, heard on radio, seen on TV and film all the time, and most importantly, she was a phenomenal actress.

 

As soon as rehearsals started, I was trying my best to deliver the high calibre acting that Miss Lee was known for. After a few deliveries, Miss Lee came over to me, took me aside, whispered gently in my ears and asked me a question about the character I was playing. I was stunned, but not embarrassed. She was so gentle, warm, and caring. I responded to her, and she gave me a few pointers, then ended by telling me I was a talented young man. I never got that treatment from a Jamaican Star and Icon. I felt so special and inspired that I dug deep and unearthed the character I was desperately trying to find. Miss Lee made me feel so important and special from that moment on. When we got a break, she gave me the thumbs up. I always remembered that mentoring moment from a theatre giant of a woman.

 

A few years ago, another theatre personality and friend and I went to visit Miss Lee, and I reminded her of the time we played together in "Dream on Monkey Mountain" and her life-changing impact on me. We chatted, laughed, hugged, and she gave me a bag of East Indian mangoes.

 

I miss you, Miss Lee. Walk good! Acting tun up inna Heaven with Maas' Ran, Miss Lou, and all the others. What a grand production with the ancestors!

Photo contributed by Marcia Brown     Leonie Forbes and Marcia Brown in Aston Cooke's play, Country Duppy, in Toronto, Canada

 

 

From producer, writer, director, actor, founder and artistic director of Marcia Brown Productions — Marcia Brown:

 

I met Leonie Forbes in 1982 at my first pantomime — my first professional stage production.

 

Seeing her reading the news on JBC and knowing who she was and knowing that I’m going to be on the same stage, even though I’m going to be in the chorus, it was such an intimidating thing. It’s like I was in awe. I remember the first time walking into the Little Theatre for the rehearsal and she came in. And I’m like Jesus, Leonie Forbes, what do I say to her. But she was such a warm person — all of that just went away. When she got introduced to the cast and just the way she welcomed all of us, all of the newcomers, and shared how much we have to learn and how focused we have to be if we take this thing seriously. 

 

From day one, she really instilled that she was a no-nonsense person when it comes to the craft. We can joke around as much as we want, but when it comes to hitting the stage, knowing our lines and all of that she takes that thing so…and if you want to be on her bad side, fool around and take this thing like you’re just there for a joy ride or you just doing it because yuh nuh have nutten else fi do. If that’s your aim for being there, you’re in the wrong place.

 

I warmed up to her because I saw something in her that I wanted to draw from. I would literally watch this woman and her preparation. The things that other actors would take for granted — even senior actors and so on — she wouldn’t. And I would say, wow, this lady is something else.

 

When we were running in for rehearsals close to the scheduled time, Leonie was there one hour before. Seeing her do that as a professional meant we had to try to shape up to do the same. 

 

Sometimes Leonie would be at the theatre two hours before call time because she had to go through her ritual of stripping herself away from everything else and just come into the character and it took her that long.

 

So she would come in and she closed her door and she had her own special dressing room, and you dare not go knock pon the dressing room door while she’s going through her prep time. And it’s not that she was being rude, but that’s the standard she set and everybody understood it. Miss Lee inna har room and whatever.

 

When you got invited into Leonie Forbes’ dressing room you feel special because a nuh every and everybody she…if she find out yuh being disrespectful or rude or whatever, she nuh tek kindly to those things. So once she get to grasp who you are, what you represent, then she works… And when she invites you into that room, it’s like you open up a whole lot of stories because she brings all her pictures from going to drama school and everything that she has done. And she adorns the wall with them. It was like I was walking into a little cove of culture because the dressing room is her, and all her personal effects and whatever she puts them on the wall. And when you get invited in there and you might look at this picture…she would tell the story associated with each one.

Anyone who was lucky to be invited into the dressing room felt special and wanted somebody to see them coming out of the room.

 

My first pantomime with Forbes was Tantaloo in 1982/1983.  Leonie played the evil witch, Old Hige. 

 

When she put on the mask and she put on the nose and she put on all of those things, once you hear she come and stand by the side of the stage she doesn’t speak to anyone. That’s her position and everybody respected it and everybody knew that she was now Old Hige. Don’t come and give her a joke, don’t come and talk to her frivolously because she is now in her character. And a dat me learn from, that’s what I learn from.

 

She was a no-nonsense person. She tells you who she is, she gives respect and she expects everybody to be respectful. She expects everybody to be on time and when she starts to talk and she starts to twiddle her fingers you know that something is wrong; she’s not happy. She was not a confrontational person so she would walk away.  There were two pantomimes where she walked away. 

 

Leonie lived in Barbican and Deon Silvera lives just a little distance below her so we would call Leonie’s house “up a Tantaloo.” She was a warm person.

 

Brown came to Canada in 1989 and was trying to make a life for herself here. Aston Cooke did the play, Country Duppy, with Forbes in Jamaica and Brown decided to remount it in Canada and wanted Forbes as lead. Cooke broke the ice for her and Forbes agreed to play the part in Toronto. Brown gave her a royal welcome at the airport and throughout her stay in Toronto.

 

“You can miss a line but never miss a moment. You can miss a line but your moments are special and that’s what every actor works for — their moments.”

 

They did Country Duppy and went on the road with the play, including New York.

 

“And then when I was doing Feminine Justice again, it was her pleasure to come here and work with me. A special woman, brilliant woman; she give you the King’s/Queen’s English perfectly in one second and the next minute she dung pon your level.”

 

Country Duppy was staged in 1999 and continued over into 2000, then Brown did Basil Dawkins’ play, Feminine Justice, twice and they took it to Vancouver.

 

The last time she saw Forbes was in 2019 when she flew to Jamaica for Ann-Marie Fuller’s wedding. Forbes would sometimes phone Brown just to see how she was doing and called her a special person. Whenever Forbes was in a play Brown directed, she gave her the space she needed and Forbes appreciated that and even offered advice in directing sometimes. 

 

Earlier in this year, Fuller and Brown were discussing organizing an evening to celebrate Forbes without her knowing their plans. They were intent on decorating a venue, renting a limousine to pick her up, and bringing her in to have a grand time. 

 

“That’s why when yuh seh yuh gwine do something for somebody, you must do it right away and don’t procrastinate. She is really a grand lady and we want to treat her that way. 

 

“Her legacy is just hearing the outpouring of what she has done for the art form in Jamaica. I don’t think she got treated well by Jamaica because Jamaica is into the youth thing and once you get to a certain age they don’t think… I think for me the legacy is that she was just a great, great, person. I think she has left enough…even for us, what she has instilled in us is the importance of taking the craft seriously, and if we can even pass it on to a few other persons then it will continue because it’s important.”

Photo contributed by Marcia Brown      Leonie Forbes and Marcia Brown at the airport in Toronto