York Theatre Royal until Saturday 6th April 2019.
Reviewed by Michelle Richardson
4****
Pilot Theatre presents Noughts and Crosses, the dystopian best selling novel by Malorie Blackman, at York Theatre Royal. Adapted for the stage by Sabrina Mahfouz, it’s a story about prejudice, institutional racism, though completely turned up on its head from what our society would expect.
Selphy Hadley (Heather Agyepong) is a Cross, she’s black, privileged and part of the upper class, the eldest daughter of a renowned politician Kamal. Whereas Callum McGregor (Billy Harris) is a Nought, white, oppressed, disadvantaged and distinctly under class. We watch their growing friendship, despite the race and class divide, as equals, insulated and not understanding how the outside world will affect them once they get older. As the relationship matures, they each pay a heavy price. Sephy is tormented by her schoolmates for associating with a Nought and Callum’s brother and father turn to the militia after his mother, Meggie is unjustly sacked as the McGregor’s housekeeper.
Once things started going wrong for both families, my heart was really pumping, really caught up in the tragic events that were unfolding before my eyes. I was anticipating what was going to happen, which didn’t and then wishing it wasn’t going to happen, which it then tragically did. Utterly thrilling.
Both leads are excellent, delivering heartfelt performances. Agyepong has got great stage presence and your really get to believe in her character. Both her and Harris have really chemistry and you can’t help just wanting their relationship to succeed despite all the obstacles all around them. The rest of the cast, Chris Jack, Lisa Howard, Doreene Blackstock, Jack Condon, Kimisha Lewis are very strong, and as well as playing family members, they double hat and take on other characters.
The set, from the very first glance of a large illuminated symbol, which to me appeared quite demonic, dominated the stage before the play actually started, to panels, red in colour, really gave it the sense of a dystopian world, stark and uninviting. TV screens in the panels were used to show news reports to assist in the telling of the story.
I haven’t read the book, but my plus one had, I understand from him that it is studied at school, and I did not know what to expect. The theatre was packed out with young students, obviously coming to see the show as part of their GCSEs. They appeared to be thoroughly gripped and sniggered a bit at the “love scenes” between Sephy and Callum.
This was certainly engaging, with a powerful message about the complexities of living in such a racist society. It is well presented, and we get to see how the pressures of being the oppressed underclass can drive people, even the most innocent of souls, into committing such evil acts as terrorism, setting off bombs and killing bystanders. It is interesting to see prejudice from a completely different prospective, thought provoking. Fascinating and compelling, one to definitely watch!