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|  | | Radio etc
On stage and radio in the U.K.
There
are, so far, only three more brief glimpses of Sylvester Leon, yet
these references in the press have considerable significance in the history of Jamaica's entertainers.
Read on . . .
West India Committee Circular, February 24, 1927, p 71
Those
interested in the West Indies will be glad to learn that Mr Sylvester
Leon, a native Jamaican actor, who has been touring in this country,
will broadcast a Jamaican dialect sketch, entitled 'Quashie hears
Paderewski play', on February 23. Mr Leon will also give a concert at
the Central Hall, Westminster, on February 26, when he will present
several other dialect sketches of native Jamaica. Mr Leon has an
extensive repertory, which, besides giving Quashie's opinions and
emotions on many subjects, includes Shakespearean and English dramatic
recitals, recitals with vocal and instrumental accompaniment, and
miscellaneous humorous and descriptive pieces. We wish Mr Leon all
success.
On Radio
 In 'London and Daventry News and Notes',
from Radio Times, February 11, 1927
 Programmes for Wednesday, February 23,
from Radio Times, February 18, 1927
These two items from the Radio Times
in February 1927 confirm the remarkable fact that Sylvester Leon
performed all the way back then, on radio, in the U.K., in Jamaican
patois! However, a check done by the B.B.C. archives showed that he
never appeared again; whether this was because of his inability to
adapt to radio, or because the audience did not appreciate Jamaican
dialect, we can hardly know, but the mere fact of the single
performance is remarkable.
On Stage
Central Hall, Westminster
As the West India Committee Circular
had reported, Sylvester Leon performed at the Central Hall Westminster,
doing 'Jamaican Dialect Sketches' on the bill in a Saturday Popular
Concert.
from the Daily Express, London, February 26, 1927
During the Second World War
One more brief reference has recently turned up:
from the Daily Gleaner, November 13, 1942, page 2
A researcher at the BBC Written Archives Centre has provided this further information about the programme:
In
this edition 'At the Barbecue' is described as a magazine programme
compiled by Una Marson, compered by Godfrey Kenton and included a poem
('But You Must Love Her' by Wynne Rutty) read by Una Marson; 'An
Annancy Story, Brer Nancy an de Woss-Woss' from a collection compiled
by Dorothy Clarke and read by Olive Dwyer and also a poem 'The Isle of
Spice' by (and read by) Calvin Lambert. The item featuring Sylvester
Leon is listed as "Sylvester Leon reading King Henry's final speech in
Act 4, Scene 3, of King Henry V."
From
March 1941 to March 1943 Una Marson, the Jamaican writer, was
organising the BBC's Caribbean programme, 'Calling the West Indies'.
Sylvester Leon's reading was on that programme at 6 p.m. November 12,
1942. Clearly Miss Marson knew, or knew of, Leon in England, but I have
found no further references to him, in her biography, or in any other
material on that period. So, I keep on looking! | | |
.
. . and for the time being, that's all I have on Sylvester Leon. I
still hope to find out more about his career in the theatre in the U.K.
in the 1920s and '30s, and also when and where he died. Perhaps someone
who looks at this site may know more about him.
If you have any such information, please let me know. You can email me at jamaicahistory@yahoo.com
Joy Lumsden Kingston, Jamaica
August 2006
Please send me your comments, queries and suggestions about this web site.
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