Leeds Playhouse/Online At home until 29th May 2021
Reviewed by Dawn Smallwood
5*****
It is exciting for the Leeds Playhouse to reopen its doors and start proceedings with a 50th anniversary celebration courtesy of Decades: Stories From The City. This production, written by writers who are linked to the theatre, hosts six monologues set in the North and the characters tell their stories over the decades of the playhouse’s existence.
The evening’s programme stages three monologues set in the 1990s, 2010s and 2020s. Don’t You Know It’s Going to be Alright is the first monologue being shown. Written by Maxine Peake and directed by Amy Leach, this story is set in the 1990s with Danny (Eva Scott) sharing her down to earth experiences with 1997 being a year like no other with the change of political language with New Labour coming into power, the death of Princess Diana and the iconic rise of The Spice Girls. With satiric and wit and over a can of lager, Danny, tells the story as it is and shares her experiences of going to illicit parties and her sparring family’s loyalties. Everyone is familiar with the many cliches and innuendos shared, whether assumed or diminished, in this contented monologue.
The next monologue is Stan Owens’ Pie in the Bus Stop. Directed by Tess Seddon, one is introduced to Jamie (Akiel Dowe) who has a lot on his hands from being a holder of two jobs and a carer for his demanding mother. He questions and ruminates, from his predicament and lockdowns, how he can go about having the independence he yearns and yet at the same time consciously reflect on the needs of his mother. Choosing to sit and contemplate at a bus stop, which he considers a good place, he opens up and invites the audience to be drawn in his self-analysis and assessment from his childhood experiences to today.
The final monologue for the evening is, and after we sailed a thousand skies. Kamal Kaan’s monologue, under the direction of Sameena Hussain, is poignantly and beautifully retold by Cassie Layton, as Layla, who questions if the city she lives in is for her. Poetically and musically, Layla, reminisces her motherland she had to leave behind and emotively questions if where she lives will accept and embrace her for who she is. “Where is home” is melancholy reminded throughout the monologue in song and voice.
Decades: Stories From The City marks a celebratory and welcome return to the Playhouse and these well performed and creatively staged monologues can resonate how our lives are influenced and impacted by where we live and where we consider home.