Paul Allen's Guardian review of The Billie Holiday Story at Bolton Octagon found him "waiting largely in vain for something dramatic to happen". The singer "deserves more than lame voiceovers and a string of undeveloped one-to-one confrontations", he added.
Writers Len Holden and Brian Langtry respond
While Paul Allen is obviously a Billie Holiday fan, his review perpetuates the myth that she was a victim. We do not deny that her life was full of tragic events, but what we are trying to say is that she was also responsible for her own actions. The victimisation of Billie reduces her vibrant personality to a cipher, and perpetuates the view that black people cannot but be helpless casualties of a racist society. Our play aims to state that Billie was very much her own woman, but had her negative side. She was none too kind in the way she treated other female singers, and she pursued a huge number of relationships in her quest for "sensation". But she was a great artist and, if not the greatest jazz singer, certainly one whose art will long survive.
The Billie Holiday Story is at Broadway Theatre, London SE6, on September 30. Box office: 020-8690 2317. Then touring.
