Lubna Kerr’s Fringe production Chatterbox explores the bullying and labelling the writer, performer and comedian experienced when she was brought to Scotland as a little girl. It builds on the success of her previous play Tickbox, in using the experiences of one family arriving from Pakistan to dig into wider social issues common to people of all backgrounds.
I tried to integrate but then got punished for having a voice
On one level the story behind Chatterbox is deeply personal and on another – sadly – it reflects experiences that are very common.
It’s about being bullied at school and how the labels we are given as children can stick throughout life. The school bullies were not always other children, in fact they could take their lead from teachers – the people whose whole job is to nurture, not stifle young people.
Bullies look for vulnerability and attack difference (for me it was language and race, but others were picked on for any number of 'reasons'). Imagine coming to a new country where no one can understand you and you have no idea what they are saying. It’s daunting. And the fact that you are three and half makes the challenges incalculable.
My father had been offered a scholarship from Strathclyde University to do a PhD in chemistry. Thinking there would be no corruption and bribery in Great Britain, he decided to come over to study, bringing his young family with him. The lure of the West was sold by the fabulous PR work that the British Raj had done and so despite the weather being a lot worse, it was a risk my father thought was worth taking. We boarded the plane on a warm sunny day in Lahore and landed in a grim, wet, cold December day in Glasgow.
When I started school I spoke little English, as there was no nursery in those days to help me integrate. The teacher would shout at me for not being able to understand her, calling me “stupid”. She made me sit at the back of the class with the other “stupid” children, who picked on me for not being white. I wondered what hell my parents had brought me to. Not to mention I was given the very boring Janet and John Ladybird books to read and looked enviously at the other pupils with their exciting Enid Blytons. Not one to sit quietly, I tried to integrate but then got punished for having a voice, an opinion, a request to read more interesting books. Young ladies do not have opinions. I was chastised now as a “chatterbox”.
As I got older, we moved house and had access to social media, ie a TV. Back in the 1970s we only had three TV channels, and everyone watched The Waltons, Dr Who and The Dave Allen Show. Not understanding all Dave Allen’s jokes and satire, I would smile as I watched my parents enjoy his humour, as well as that of Morecambe and Wise.
My parents were keen for me to integrate so I was sent to the Brownies, took part in school sports and learned to play two musical instruments. Having been writing stories and plays from the age of six, as well as acting, I was very excited at the introduction of the guitar to my repertoire. It led me to think I could write songs. Eurovision here I come. Mamma mia …
Well, maybe that childhood dream hasn’t come true. But here I am, heading to the Fringe with a brand new play for the second time.
