Review by Beth
Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review.
Malorie Blackman’s pivotal novel Noughts and Crosses plays at Derby Theatre this week, adapted by Pilot Theatre and Northern Stage Present. In a climate of ever-increasing polarisation, division and race disparity, this story proves just as relevant to modern society as it ever has been, providing striking social commentary. It may not be a story of hope but it certainly packs a powerful punch.
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| Photo by Von Fox Productions. |
In the first act of our play, we are introduced to Callum (a nought) and Sephy (a cross). In this world, which is a flip of the reality experienced by many, black-skinned crosses have power and influence over society, whilst white noughts are powerless and segregated. Callum, daughter of a housekeeper for Sephy’s family, and Sephy become best friends as children but are forced to meet in secret when their mothers fall out. As the pair grow up, we see their youthful optimism as they dream of a future life together where noughts and crosses are equals as they all begin to fall in love with one another.
However, the futility of this hope also becomes increasingly evident when Callum joins Sephy’s school, previously occupied only by cross children. As their families become increasingly embroiled in political warfare with Sephy’s dad a key political figure and Callum’s father and brother members of a nought terrorist group Liberation Militia, the cracking society becomes increasingly evident and it becomes clear that the life Callum and Sephy dream of will never become a reality. Act two of our story then takes a darker turn, as the pair grow up and the consequences of desperation, radicalisation and racism are realised, leading to dire consequences. The final scenes of our show quite bluntly share a message that we can change what power means, appealing directly to the audience to reflect on society and our roles in such broken systems.
Through their performances, each character brought a different element to the story being told. As Sephy, Brianna Douglas brought an interesting dichotomy between younger and older Sephy, showing a clear disillusionment with the system once the character grows up. In Act One, she was played with naivety and passion, whereas in Act Two Sephy’s spiral was clear. My only consideration is that at times in Act One, I thought her character appeared much younger than 14, which made it difficult to see her relationship with Callum as more than infantile infatuation, and therefore perhaps removed some of the emotional punch when the pair are separated. However, her performance in Act Two did provide a clear contrast to this and saw her love for Callum become deeper. Through Sephy’s eyes we see the world as we’d hope it could be and then the harsh reality when those walls come crashing down. Lewis Tidy’s performance as Callum was one of my personal favourites of the show. His Callum was loving and sweet, a doting brother to Lynette and caring son of Meggie. His inner conflict was clear to the audience and again his shifting persona in Act Two was unnerving in an impactful way.
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| Brianna Douglas and Lewis Tidy. Photo by Von Fox Productions. |
Through him, we see how easy it is to fall in with the wrong crowd and to be motivated by spite and revenge to go through with actions that you had never previously considered; a warning message to us all. His closing speech, though perhaps written as a little on the nose and overtly explained, is an important rally call to the audience. I do just wonder if nowadays we rely a tad too heavily on the ‘this is the message’ moment of media rather than through our own inferences and reflections, though this isn’t a criticism of this production specifically.
Through Finyan Hayeck’s Jude, Callum’s brother, we see a different perspective once again. Jude is radicalised from the show’s beginning, rightfully angry at the system that has failed him but using unforgivable acts of violence to fight for what he believes is right. Jude is a stark reminder that whilst change needs to occur, there are methods and means that are simply unacceptable. Hayeck’s performance was again a personal favourite, chilling and three-dimensional in a way that made the audience understand him even when they could not condone him.
Emma Keele and Elexi Walker play two contrasting mothers, though both women that are outraged at their husbands’ actions and desperately upset by the unfolding events around them. Both women bring glimmers of hope that not all adults in this world are filled with hate and yet both have to push these feelings aside to protect their families. Similarly, Daniel Copeland and Chris Jack play fathers who are two sides of the same coin, motivated by fear and by hunger for power and to make a statement whatever the cost. An honourable mention must also go to Melody Adeniran as Minnie- Sephy’s sister - whose performance was strong and nuanced. Many of these actors played other roles within the story; I do wonder if perhaps a slightly larger cast would have helped with conveying the scale of oppression many of these characters were facing and also added to some of the more emotional moments, like the school protest and the events following Ryan’s demise, though I appreciate the difficulties of doing this on tour.
One thing that I was particularly impressed by was Simon Kenny’s use of staging and set in this production. The creative team opted for a minimalist set which perfectly assisted in the quick-paced transference between scenes but also let the audience’s focus be on the awful events unfolding and the messages the show conveys. It also allowed for some impressive and moving moments, including Callum’s interactions with his troubled sister and one particularly harrowing bomb explosion with some great special effects. Having such a ‘simple’ set also meant that when the stage did split on only two occasions to reveal a gallows, these moments were incredibly impactful and upsetting (as they should be) to the audience and did get a gasp from many on their first reveal. What I’d have liked to have seen perhaps was a little more use of music in emotional moments that would have stirred a little more physical reaction. At times, I expected a tear to be shed with such important subject matter but none came and music would have perhaps evoked these emotions further.
There is absolutely no doubt that this is an important piece of theatre. Malorie Blackman’s story is just as relevant now as it ever has been and the message conveyed by this production is clear; it is possible to change what power means and to break the system but only if the system is rejected by everyone on every side. It was a shame to see quite a lot of empty seats however I know that the production is also welcoming a large school audience as the tour progresses which is positive to hear. The Arts have always been a source of political protest and of rally cries to society, and this play certainly provides one that the world needs to hear.
Noughts and Crosses plays at Derby Theatre until Saturday 14th March. Tickets are available from https://derbytheatre.co.uk/event/noughts-crosses/
Audience members should note that this story contains scenes of racism, suicide and violence that may be upsetting for some viewers.
Noughts and Crosses tours running until 23rd May. For tour dates and venues, visit https://pilot-theatre.com/production/noughts-crosses/
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| Lewis Tidy and Brianna Douglas. Photo by Von Fox Productions |
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