2011
Mogadishu @ Lyric Hammersmith, London
Plays set in London schools seem to be trending on stage at the moment and the Lyric Hammersmith have added their very own school drama to the mix. Mogadishu follows the events at a school, after an altercation takes place between a student and a teacher. Written by former teacher Vivienne Franzmann, the play is embedded in realism. Although the writing is crisp, and the performances slick there’s something wanting in her dissection of race and the bureaucratic school system.
In the opening scene, Jason (Malachi Kirby) a young, black youth bullies Turkish student Firat (Michael Karim). They are intercepted by English teacher Amanda (Julia Ford), who is then pushed to the floor. This dramatic scene is the catalyst for the events which unfold. As the teacher becomes the accused, the bureaucracy of the education system, and the lasting effects of grief are all unveiled.
Action takes place within a circular fence, which resembles a cage. With the constant clanging and constraints of performing in such a confined space, the scene changes are less than smooth, if not distracting. The youths, who form part of Jason’s circle of loyal friends, are all well cast; they’re strong but seem to resemble every other urban teenager on stage. They’re crass, crude and they teeter on becoming stereotypes. Their banter however, forms the bulk of the comic entertainment. Chuggs, played by Tendayi Jembere is by far the funniest. But, Shannon Tarbet shines as the self-righteous and mouthy Becky.
Franzmann also touches upon the issue of white middle class guilt
in Mogadishu. Amanda is reluctant to punish Jason and her actions are challenged
by her piercingly honest daughter Becky (Shannon Tarbet). However, the
issue becomes buried in the story of a teenager’s all consuming grief and
in this respect the play is slightly disappointing. On the whole however,
it’s a very credible piece and deserving of the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting.
Tiger Country@Hampstead Theatre, London
By Amardeep Sohi
Spending three months observing medical staff clearly paid off for Nina Raine, as she captures both the chaos and cost of working for the NHS in her latest play. Tiger Country, written and directed by Raine can only be described as the stage equivalent of Holby City. It’s a world riddled with pressures, sacrifices and power struggles, but it doesn’t feel altogether new.
Designed by Lizzie Clachlan, the set is sterile and colourless. The stench of hospital bleach hangs in the air, creating an instant sense of being in a hospital ward. A team of adrenalin fuelled consultants, surgeons and nurses who juggle patients, cases and the demands of their work. Although slow to take off, the pace is naturally fast. Raine’s focus however, is not on the hustle and bustle of hospital life, but the human cost of working in this environment. We meet Vashti (Thusitha Jayasundera), a ball busting female doctor of Indian origin, who states that “the hospital makes us the opposite of what we are” and young doctor Emily (Ruth Everett) who must become de-sensitised in order to survive.
The human cost of working in this environment is a running theme and the eleven member cast as a whole are strong in conveying the cost to the doctor’s humanity. Performances by Ruth Everett and Adam James, who plays a sick doctor, are particularly moving. Sharon Duncan-Brewster continues to be consistently malleable.
There are a handful of powerful moments, mainly, intimate conversations that take place between the staff, but having the audience placed on either side of the stage, reduces the dramatic effect. Like most medical dramas, the emphasis lies in the humanity of the medical staff. In this respect, Tiger Country didn’t feel that fresh, instead it’s an obvious snapshot of reality.
Little Platoons@Bush Theatre, London
By Amardeep Sohi
Little Platoons is the second play in the Bush Theatre’s school season. With the first free schools opening later this year, it certainly is a topical piece. Pitched as a dark comedy however, it doesn’t quite make the grade.
The play opens with a couple discussing their son’s schooling following their break up. The father Martin (Richard Henders) believes that his son would receive a better education outside of London whilst, the mother Rachel (Claire Price) strongly believes in staying within the community and embracing the changing face of the school. What ensues is a debate about community, multiculturalism and of course parental control over education. The ripples of the argument extend when a middle class couple, Nick and Lara team up with a young Asian father to create a free school.
It certainly is a meaty debate, but it feels a little too weighty. Many lines deflate rather than inflate the tension and in this respect it’s rather disappointing. The characterisation of Parv, the young Asian father played by Christopher Simpson lacks depth and cries tokenism. When he isn’t behaving like an irate teenager, he’s storming off stage ranting about racism. Andrew Woodall’s performance as Nick is flat, whilst Susannah Harker is more convincing.
Joanne Froggatt does manage to breathe some life into the play. She swans in with an indignant air and delivers her lines with perfect comic timing. Performances by the young students, Mandeep Dhillon, Holli Dempsey and Kerron Darby are also lively and entertaining.
Steve Waters’ writing lacks real clarity. The depth of the debate
compounds the ability for the comedy to really take off. It’s a C+.
King Lear@The Roundhouse
By Amardeep Sohi
The harsh consequences of misplaced loyalty and trust are once more thrust upon the stage in the RSC’s King Lear. As part of the company’s London season at the Roundhouse, the folly of an egotistical father has been produced in true RSC style. There’s a dramatic set, moments of visual delight and a very convincing King Lear.
It’s a tale that can be played out in families across the globe. A father wishes to divide up his legacy before he dies. But this father and King will do so based on how much his three daughters, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia confess to love him. As the eldest two make grand professions of love for their father, the youngest Cordelia speaks plainly and truthfully to her detriment. What follows is the downfall of this King and father as his two daughters demonstrate their greed and disregard for their father. The result, is a tormented and homeless King who descends into madness as he realises the extent of his folly.
Greg Hicks plays the tormented Lear with a light touch of humour and humanity. He embodies a man destroyed by the ruthless and selfish behaviour of those he loved. Sophie Russell’s Fool is boyish but subdued, but considering the last minute cast change it’s a commendable performance. Katy Stephens commands the stage as Regan and the ensemble as whole are solid; the effects of working together for so long are obvious.
The brutal and unnatural treatment that Lear receives from his
two eldest daughters is reflected in Jon Bausor’s harsh, metal and decayed
set. It’s the perfect backdrop for the story of bonds broken in the most
unnatural manner. This production of King Lear, in true RSC style is big,
bold and remains true to Shakespeare’s tale of the dangers of choosing
elaborate declarations over reality. Folly indeed.
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