Writing this book was by far the hardest decision I have ever had to make. After countless sleepless nights, I woke up one morning and just knew it was the right thing to do.
I realized it was not going to be easy to write about my experience of producing the West End show “Top Hat” on the legendary cruise line Cunard. But when faced with burying my head in the sand and being complicit or informing the mighty Cunard that things may be amiss—Bad Things —I saw little choice.
The trouble started with clear and present racism—from the very top! The discovery of nepotism soon followed. Then the production itself disintegrating in quality with little care on Cunard’s part.
When I voiced my objection to all of these issues, the threatening and aggressive behaviour began—again from the very top!
And this ended up being just the tip of the iceberg.
I had tremendous fear and trepidations that by bringing up these damaging findings, it would create problems for my hard fought career. I would possibly be labelled a trouble maker or worse and blowing our chances of future productions, or even ongoing ones. Both equally important for a small production company’s survival.
Even though we were doing no wrong, in fact our involvement had been faultless to date, I feared being sidelined for highlighting these unacceptable, ugly truths!
Well sure enough, my greatest fears were not only realized, they were unimaginably worse! Our choice in informing Cunard of these horrendous happenings caused a series of catastrophic events, which I couldn’t have imagined in my worst nightmares.
When Cunard chose to whitewash and ignore these issues of nepotism, racism, and shoddy production quality, with two feeble investigations, I made the decision to write my entire experience in the chapters that follow, knowing that others may relate and come forward.
And just maybe, now with the Post Office fiasco devastatingly becoming known to us all, could it really be possible for the big and mighty to have to take notice of what they clearly regard, as the small and insignificant.
Barry is a West End and Broadway theatre producer of Tony and Olivier nominated productions with numerous award wins.
Having graduated from the Bristol Old Vic, Barry went on to Los Angeles where he worked under Sean Connery at Fountain Bridge Films for Sony Studios.
He set up the independent production company, SilverBlue Entertainment and produced films including the award winning The Blue Hour with Alyssa Milano.
Missing theatre he moved to NYC, where he set up and ran one of New York’s most respected theatre companies, TACT’s new play division: newTACTics. Before long he was lead producing large full scale Broadway productions, including the cult hit: Frank Wildhorn and Don Black’s “Bonnie and Clyde”.
Missing England, Barry returned to London where by he continued producing theatre in the West End with Olivier nominated revivals as well as special event productions at the Royal Albert Hall. His favourite being “Follies” directed by Craig Revel Horwood, starring Christine Baranski, Betty Buckley, Stephanie Powers, Ruthie Henshaw, Russell Watson, Roy Hudd, Alastair McGowen and Lorna Luft. All on one stage – it was magical!
Barry produced a number of West End productions at sea, namely for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines with West End stars Kerry Ellis and Louise Dearman and for Cunard with the Olivier winning “Top Hat”.
Barry produced P&O Cruises launch event for their newest ship Iona in the Walkie Talkie building.
Barry’s next production will be lead producing the original musical “As It Is In Heaven” with lyrics by the legend Carly Simon, Olivier Winning Matthew White the book and Swedens hugely successful composer Fredrik Kempe the composer.
It is already the most successful original musical ever to open in Stockholm, to be coming to the West End soon!
90% of the passenger's bathrooms are worse than on a cargo ship! Floor-to-ceiling tacky plastic and smaller than the crew's cast bathrooms! Good luck with fitting in the shower! There’s a reason you never see these on the brochure. Not even on the new ship: Queen Anne!
Alex Donelson
Managing Partner, artbeesthemes.com
It’s Cunard, we don’t employ black actors, they’re too distracting for the passengers
Mary Scott
Managing Partner, artbeesthemes.com
We believe Cunard have NEVER employed a single black actor in any of the four leading roles of any cast.
Alex Donelson
Managing Partner, artbeesthemes.com