Artist Spotlight: Lorna Laidlaw

 

Artist Spotlight: Lorna Laidlaw

Posted on behalf of Bertz Associates

Following our Women Between the Lines Walk last week, we wanted to shed more light on one of our featured artists. This blog post documents the highlights of our conversation with Lorna Laidlaw, award-winning actor and one of the Brummie legends featured in our event.

Our Women Between the Lines project shares hidden histories about women who lived and worked in Ladywood and inner-city Birmingham. We held a guided walk on Saturday 26 March where we discussed several figures, and now we’re bringing their stories to you here. One such woman is the actress Lorna Laidlaw, who began her career in Birmingham Youth Theatre, and is now part of the first Black family on ITV Soap Coronation Street.

‘We Were Always at Edgbaston Reservoir’

Lorna remembers spending time at the rezza and Tower Ballroom in her teens, attending dances, roller-skating and concerts. When she couldn’t afford a ticket, she and her friends would hang around outside hoping that someone would take pity on them and offer them a free ticket. She also ‘inhabited’ the rezza with her two children when they were little, enjoying its history and natural sounds.

Our organisation is committed to protecting and celebrating the Edgbaston reservoir, through collecting people’s memories of the historical Tower Ballroom - a former roller-skating rink, dance hall and even opera venue. We also preserve people’s experiences of the urban wildlife and social times at the rezza with our My Reservoir videos. Visit our website to find out more!

‘There’s something quite lovely about a person of colour totally absorbing their culture’

As a proponent for more Brummies on screen, Lorna thinks there should be more regional accents on TV, especially from Black and Asian people. She initially auditioned for Coronation Street with her own Brummie accent!

Celebrating Birmingham means celebrating those who migrated to the region from other areas of the commonwealth, such as the Windrush generation, which Lorna’s parents were part of. There is currently a photography exhibition housed at the Library of Birmingham -  City of Empire to City of Diversity – displaying some of the thousands of photos sent by migrants to their families and friends abroad. As an ambassador for this project, Lorna can’t wait for people to see the photos, and hopes that people might even recognise some long-lost relatives when they visit.

‘We need representation in all areas, not just in front of the camera’

Lorna believes that there should be more Black and Asian camera-operators, directors and make-up artists. These people can act as role models to inspire young people, which is a central focus of our Women Between the Lines project. We celebrate role models, and not just celebrities, but also everyday people. When we asked Lorna which person inspires her, she spoke about her Mum. Coming over to England from Jamaica, she showed courage, bravery and conviction. Lorna describes her as ‘an iconic figure in Birmingham’.

Artist Profiles Coming Soon

Keep an eye on our website and social media pages (@bertzassociates) to hear more amazing stories from Lorna: such as the Jackson Five concert that made her the envy of the school, and how she initially got into acting because of her Duke of Edinburgh Award. We hope to run more guided walks and events in the future, so watch this space, and keep celebrating the amazing women in your own lives!