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A racial story is at the heart of the friendship between Marilyn Monroe (left) and Ella Fitzgerald.

Davina Morris, Voice Reporter

IN 1955, Marilyn Monroe was a Hollywood icon and sex symbol, while Ella Fitzgerald was a rising jazz singer, struggling for success in racially segregated America.

On the surface, the pair do not appear to have anything in common.

But in actual fact, there were many similarities between them, and after meeting at the Los Angeles nightclub Mocambo, Monroe and Fitzgerald became firm friends.

Little-known friendship

Noted actor and director Colin McFarlane, who directs this new work from US playwright and critic Bonnie Greer, considers why the mutual history of Monroe and Fitzgerald is not widely known.

"I think it's a lot to do with the fact that black history is often not included in the history books," he says. "That's why Bonnie [Greer] and I work so well together because we both have a passion to tell stories about black history, and also to change people's perceptions of things."

He explains what drew him to direct the production.

"I love the racial story at the heart of Marilyn and Ella's friendship. Marilyn Monroe was a huge jazz fan and she loved the music of Ella Fitzgerald, though they hadn't yet met at that time. She knew that the Mocambo was the biggest nightclub in Los Angeles, but she also knew that Ella couldn't play there because there was a colour bar, which did not allow black artists to perform there."

He continued: "Marilyn, who at that time was fed up of always being depicted as nothing more than a sex symbol, wanted to change this colour bar rule. So she rang the nightclub's manager, Charlie Morrison, and said that she would sit in the front row of the club every week, if he let Ella Fitzgerald perform there. He agreed. Ella had never met Marilyn, but the two met at the Mocambo and they became lifelong friends. After that, Ella never played a second-rate jazz club again, and actually, on her website, she even said: "I owe Marilyn a debt. She was a woman ahead of her time."

Much in common

The pair did, in fact, have a great deal in common. Both had bad childhoods, were incredibly vulnerable, and longed to not be pigeon-holed in their careers.

Fitzgerald, a black woman with a voluptuous figure, was limited in the places she could perform, as her image didn't conform to US ideals.

And for Monroe, there was the struggle of trying to break free from her blonde bimbo image.

"It really is quite amazing how much they had in common and how they both educated each other," says McFarlane. "In act two of the play, you see Marilyn educating Ella about movies, because Ella really wants to get into films. Marilyn tries to show Ella that the industry at that time would never allow Ella to play any other role apart from that of a big black mamma, much like the role that actress Hattie McDaniel got the Oscar for when she played Mammy in Gone With the Wind. I can't believe they're doing that as a musical."

'Deep stuff'

McFarlane shakes his head at the thought of the New London Theatre's forthcoming stage adaptation of the 1939 film, which many accused of almost condoning slavery by portraying Mammy as a 'happy' black servant.

"I just can't believe that anyone would still put that kind of character on stage today. How far have we not moved on? In Marilyn and Ella's time, that kind of representation was really considered the norm.

"So, Marilyn had to explain to Ella that even she, as Marilyn Monroe, was being pigeon-holed as a bimbo. So, Ella certainly didn't stand a chance of landing any half-decent roles. But Ella, in turn, had to explain to Marilyn that, as a black woman, she had to take work where she could get it. It's really deep stuff."

Character playing

Undertaking the roles of the two legends are Nicola Hughes, who plays Fitzgerald, and Wendy Morgan, who plays Monroe.

McFarlane speaks highly of both of them.

"Oh, they're wonderful. People are obviously gonna come with their expectations of each character.

"With Wendy, I guess people will expect her to look and talk a certain way, to fit their images of Marilyn. With Nicola, it will be about how she sings. They've both definitely morphed into their characters, which is wonderful."

Marilyn and Ella is at the Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, London E15 until March 15.

Call 020 8534 0310 or visit www.stratfordeast.com.