My next review takes me once again back to the national theatre and the Lyttelton stage for another NT young patron club night. This time for a show which is currently still in previews and officially opens on 27th Feb and scheduled to close on 5th April 2025. This play is originally written by Micheal Abbensetts and directed by Lynette Linton. It has a running length of one hour and fifty five minutes with no interval.
Like many plays and productions I see I was not aware of the text or ideas of the play so once again entered the Lyttelton theatre with an open mind of what was to come. I took my seat which was chosen by the NT development team. The only other people apart from myself who I trust to choose a seat for me. And once again they did not dissapoint with a seat in the stall in row G seat 24.
The play transports us back to the 1970s where we enter Walkers (Arinzé Kene) tailors shop. Where he dreams of become a suit designer and maker. Were we spend the next nearly two hours living 24 hours in the life of Walker trying to complete a demanding trouser alteration order from Mr Nat (Colin Mace). With the help of his trusty expecting to be father friend Buster (Gershwyn Eustache Jnr) and his young driver Courtney (Raphel Famotibe). With the help or as it becomes more obvious hinderance of Horace (Karl Collins). Along with the occasional appearance from Walkers wife Darlene (Cherrelle Skeete). We learn of the hopes and dreams along with the struggles these characters have to face on a day to day basis of being black in the 1970s.
Before the “curtain up” as there was no physical curtain a number of the ensemble cast started to appear on stage with boom boxes and push bikes. Attempting to prepare us for this step back in time to the 1970s. The set itself was basic and is shown in almost in is entirely within the view room my seat image above. As the play is based in a short timeframe of the same location it meant that there was no need for large set pieces of even major scene changes. However momentum of the play and time changes were achieved by rotating the whole set within the centre of the the Lyttelton stage. This allowed for the actors to seamless move from the front of the shop to the back simply by walking through the hanging clothes rack while the whole set piece was rotating. At very few occasions the front of the stage was used as a scene setter. The only main addition to the common stage was during Walker dream sequences when additional set pieces appears from the wings with ensamble replicating a suit shop. With the aid of very simple light design the different scenes and timings of the play were able to be progressed and portrayed.
As usually with the NT the set design was perfect for the play and the props were amazing. With the expected NT attention to detail not disappointing. When looked at closely you are able to see the exact detail of the tailors shop from the cotton to the time period sewing machines. Once again the NT prop department did not dissapoint with not a single prop or item on stage being out of place for a 1970s alteration shop. It is this small attention to detail that makes the NT so impressive.
Talking about relevant time period aspects the costumes were amazing. The style and fit of each costume was perfection for the time period. Not only the costumes being worn by the actors but the outfits that were hanging as effectively props and set where exactly in style and design. I can only imagine the fun that the creative team had walking through the many racks of the NT green store to find these outfits. Again the attention to detail that makes an NT production an NT production.
In the same vain but slightly different tack the attention to detail within the accents of the characters was great.If not a little difficult to start with by the end of the play it seemed very natural. Each actor had what I can only assume is a very authentic accent which was needed for the original text which was written by the late native Guyanan Micheal Abbensetts. However for me this is where the play had problems. As the original play was written in 1978 by a native there were at times certain dialects and phases/comments that were made which went totally over my head and only hit with a very small proportion of the audience. As well as these more specific references I found a lot of the more comedy aspects and points of the play didn’t land with me and also didn’t seem to land in general with the audience of this preview night. I don’t believe that this text originally from 1978 really has a place with a modern London National Theatre/ West End audience. Although you can see the play attempting to hit some very major topics which are still relevant today including race, dreams and strong women. The style in which it is presented in the play does not fit for me a Morden audience.
The running time of nearly two hours straight with no interval also did not seem to fit this perticular play. I am huge fan of straight through plays with no interval. However for this production there were many different opportunities for a break in proceedings and not having one just seem to elongate the play rather than keep the audience on side and on board. Perhaps by the time the play has opening night in a few days the timing may get shrunk a little.
Although Karl Collins was marketed as the “main star” of the prodcution. I recall it was his face that appeared on the slide show presented by Rufus during the launch of his last season. I was surprised to see him not in the title role. However I really enjoyed Arinzé Kene portrayal of Walker. He was able to portray the character and emotions brilliantly. Really making the audience buy into his dream of the suit shop as well as the heart ache he endures nearer the end of the play. Along with these two actors Gershwyn Eustache Jnr was able to reduce such an endearing character as the expectant father.
The other two actors which deserve a special mention is first the only female character of the play Darlene played by Cherrelle Skeete. Cherrelle was able to bring that strong female energy to the stage and if you see the show you we see the power and control she has to make a discoing which would not normally occur in the 1970s. The other actor to mention is Raphel Famotibe playing the young Courtney who simpployises the hope of youth and the belief that the future will be not only internet but better. These two actors had some great scenes in which they were able to show their great talent.
As per above the actors and production value of this play was as ever the National Theatre very high standard, it was just the orginal text not fitting in with this modern audience.
Overall I give this play 2 out of 5 stars. A great NT production of the original 1978 play, portrayed by some great actors. However unable to save what seemed to be a inaccessible text for most modern London theatre goers.
For more information on this show, further details can be found on the National Theatre website here
A SPURDLE reviews 