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“Maud” at the Vault Festival

This show from (Sic) Theatre, conceived by Jeffrey Miller, skilfully tackles the important and emotive subject of racism and police violence towards African Americans. A verbatim piece, which draws on a variety of sources, Maud is my first five-star show from this year’s excellent Vault Festival.

The focus is the tragedy of Ahmaud ‘Maud’ Arbery, who was shot while out jogging on 23 February 2020. Attention and detail are paid to this story through re-enacting police interviews, some of the court case and his family’s statements. Alongside the performances are real-life voiceovers and projected film footage. The video design, by Roberto Esquenazi Alkabes, is accomplished. The events are disturbing, but the tone is calm – director Andrew French leaves the audience to be appalled by itself.

A quest for justice for Arbery is interspersed with talk shows and historic debate. There’s outrage in TV studios and, a real highlight, a section of James Baldwin’s debate with William F Buckley in Cambridge in 1965. Along with scenes of protest and an appearance from President Trump, Maud focuses minds on the systemic nature of racism and makes the case for its subtitle that what happened to Arbery was a modern-day lynching.

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Jeffrey Miller and Perry Williams

The show boasts two excellent performances. Miller and Perry Williams take on all the roles and flip between them with ease, using the space with assurance and switching emotions with skill. Care is taken over each role, however difficult or distasteful.

The performers also watch and listen – like the audience – to the material taken from real life. The respect and attention in such moments is theatrically powerful but also indicative of the care shown throughout the whole piece, ensuring the subject has the gravity and import it deserves.

Until 25 February 2023

www.vaultfestival.com

Photo by Lidia Crisafulli

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“Trouble in Butetown” at the Donmar Warehouse

Focusing on an African American soldier and a mixed race family in Cardiff provides a new take on World War II in Diana Nneka Atuona’s new play. Behind this interesting story, the piece is a traditional affair – well-crafted and carefully observed – that is a tidy drama and a gorgeous love story.

GI Nate is on the run, providing excitement, and it’s no plot spoiler to say he is the victim of prejudice. But what’s important is what he runs into: a boarding house with no colour bar and a romance with young Connie. The roles make impressive stage debuts for Samuel Adewunmi and Rita Bernard-Shaw with characters whose instant attraction and innocent courtship is sweet. 

The play is full of heart-warming relationships that centre around Connie’s mother, a powerful matriarch, performed by Sarah Parish with consummate skill. As funny as she is formidable, and ferociously protective of her daughters, she is a sympathetic figure. How hard it must be to raise two mixed race children at the time is never overstated, a powerful move on Atuona’s part.

Along with her younger daughter and lodgers, who are all satisfying characters, this little idyll is under threat from the American Military Police. There are big debates here with plenty of perspectives. And maybe some caricatures (the Police seem dull next to characters we’ve come to admire). Importantly, Nate’s actions aren’t glossed over.

There is a lot of action – a director less skilled than Tinuke Craig could make a mess – that builds nicely. The second act provides more nuance in each character, more intergenerational conflict and a realistic yet inspiring finale. Random acts of kindness and cruelty that are deftly handled make the piece involving and interesting throughout. Excellent work all-round.

Until 25 March 2023

www.donmarwarehouse.com

Photo by Manuel Harlan

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“The Tinker” at the Vault Festival

On a dark and stormy night, a couple in an isolated house receive an unexpected guest. There’s plenty of atmosphere to enjoy in Olivia Foan’s period drama and, if the show poses a moral dilemma rather than the spooky story you might initially expect, it remains very enjoyable.

The Edwardian age is tricky for fringe drama as props can be expensive. But designer Nikki Charlesworth has done very well (apart from the shoes). And if the language in the script might be stricter – modern terms sneak in – the plot is neat and twisty.

The couple, who have a tragic history, are brought to life by Lauren O’Leary and Keon Martial-Phillip. There’s thorough work behind the performances. Evelyn’s anxiety is a mystery that becomes moving, while Frank’s demons are revealed with skill. The dynamics of their relationship are interesting and dramatic.

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Giles Abbott

The guest that gives the play its title is more of a problem. Giles Abbott gives a commendable performance, but the line between charisma and cliché might be crossed once or twice too often. Frank and Evelyn leap to suspicions… maybe the audience could have more doubts about the character, too? The Tinker takes up a lot of time and space in a play that isn’t, really, about him. Motives flip-flop too much, and his final action is downright odd.

The story that develops is both melodramatic and believable – which is a tricky mix to pull off. Children are the key (with a strong sense of period detail), and the plot turns on power. The wealthy Frank and Evelyn show themselves as ruthless. And a final twist suggesting the plan they hatch won’t work out is a great touch. The Tinker isn’t without problems but there’s enough strong work for all involved to be pleased.

Until 19 February 2023

www.vaultfestival.com

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“Phaedra” at the National Theatre

This new play is inspired by works from Euripides, Seneca and Racine, but director and writer Simon Stone’s ambition is to present a story for our times. Brimming with contemporary concerns, in an arguably self-conscious fashion, this production is superbly performed and perfectly stylish.

First up, there’s privilege. For Phaedra we have Helen, a successful and wealthy politician full of charisma and undoubtedly powerful. It’s a change to the source material that makes sense and, taking the title role, Janet McTeer has a regal quality. You can picture the admiration, and envy, of those around her.

The family Helen dominates is Stone’s idea of the liberal elite – oh-so erudite and out of touch. The dinner table has conflict and quotes – Helen’s son, daughter and husband are full of wit and neurosis. Their chat is funny, but it might be hard to relate to this family, especially given Chloe Lamford’s design.

The set is a glass box (remember Yerma?) but, here, it rotates. The sense of voyeurism engendered is intense. It’s with the sound design that the eye-catching idea comes into its own – characters can talk over one another and speak at volumes not normally possible on stage.

Into the mix comes Sofiane, the son of Helen’s long-deceased lover. Everyone’s lives start to get messy (do they have real problems for a change?).  While Assaad Bouab has great presence in the role, bringing a magnetism to match McTeer, I’m not sure his character is really the ‘enigma’ the play claims. Open about motivations and desires, Sofiane is also very clearly a vehicle for the topic of colonialism.

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Sirine Saba and Assaad Bouab

Intersecting with Helen’s privilege, voiceovers from Sofiane’s father (that fill in scene changes) are fantastic. But if the intention was to give the colonised experience a voice, then more is needed. Thankfully, the final scenes in Morocco are excellent and there’s a starring role for Sofiane’s wife. Also good is the fascinating role for Helen’s friend and colleague Omolara – a brilliant Akiya Henry – who roots the play by being removed from the heady action.

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Akiya Henry

When it comes to the passion Phaedra is famous for, whether it convinces a modern audience is an open question. Nowadays, we have a short list of taboos – would Helen’s actions really have ended her career? More interestingly, there is an engagement with the theme of compromise in the play that is appropriate in our polarised times.

The lust Helen experiences leads to great drama – this show is exciting. Framing selfish actions as a protest against ageism and misogyny is a confrontational strategy. But is the finale surprisingly conservative? As in his source material, the woman must be punished. And, in the end, for all its qualities, that makes Phaedra feel old-fashioned.

Until 8 April 2023

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

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“Right Dishonourable Friend” at the Vault Festival

Here is solid work from debut playwriting duo Phoebe Batteson-Brown and Eoin McKenna that lives up to the name of co-producing theatre company Metamorph. The piece is a political satire that becomes a heavy drama and shifts tone to great effect.

At first, Right Dishonorable Friend feels like sitcom territory. With a politician from the South parachuted into a Northern constituency, there are plenty of satisfying, if safe, jokes. The cast is confident, the delivery strong, and the audience happy.

Politician Perdita needs a campaigning issue and, since she loves “the gays”, decides to champion facilities for LGBTQ+ youth, an issue close to the heart of her communications manager Dan. It’s a little sad this seems an unlikely campaign for her to pick, but never mind. The story gets serious when she reneges on her pledge with tragic consequences.

The play itself seeks to campaign and its political content is clear (the production promotes the charity Stonewall Housing). The argument is presented powerfully – but might be handled better theatrically. Batteson-Brown and McKenna, who also perform, have written big roles for themselves that showcase their talents. But director Kayla Feldman, who does a good job keeping the action swift, might demand more nuance. Batteson-Brown’s comedy skills are unquestionable while McKenna brings sincerity to his role – but both are good enough performers to blur the lines between being funny and serious more.

Rachael Hilton and Eoin McKenna in 'Right Dishonourable Friend' at the Vault Festival
Rachael Hilton and Eoin McKenna

The characters aren’t flat because we do see more than one dimension. But Dan changes from competent and quiet too quickly and it’s too obvious he’d make a better MP than his boss. You might even find him a little preachy? Perdita moves from a ditzy posh girl to showing a machiavellian side too late. Any sympathy for the character falls flat and while pitying her is a big a call, seeing more of the pressure on her could be interesting. Rachael Hilton, who plays three characters of very different ages, comes off very well; establishing each role quickly, getting great laughs and bringing sensitivity to the role of teenage Alex, Hilton is hugely impressive.

The potential for Right Dishonourable Friend is clear; it’s just a question of a little more polish. Improvements will not even be that hard: more colourful pasts are hinted at for both characters, I even suspect the material is already written, which would help enormously. And it would be good to see more of Alex, if only to aid Dan’s final speech. But it’s a brave move to end a piece with lots of comedy on a downbeat note – it makes the conviction behind the play stirring and the show certainly gets my vote.

Until 18 February 2023

www.vaultfestival.com

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“Surfacing” at the Vault Festival

Tom Powell’s intriguing play is full of memorable moments. The story of a therapist called Luc, whose guilt and grief push her towards mental health problems, the piece is inventive – and takes the risks that bold theatre-making requires. 

In short, it doesn’t all work, even if it is always interesting. The idea of projecting Luc’s thoughts on to the stage is done well with some nice animation and typography. But might the idea, and some easy humour, detract from the fine performance of Rosie Gray, who takes the part?

Hearing the negative thoughts Luc suffers from makes the character solipsistic and the play narrow. Other roles, well performed by Daniel Rainford, are too close to simply being foils. The focus is admirable, but the result is cold. More of Luc’s mother and her friend would be great, please.

When it comes to Luc’s struggle with reality – theatrically – Surfacing is a mixed bag. If the mice Luc is paranoid about are supposed to be scary, I’d count that a fail. And talking to her microwave as if it is her manager at work is weak. There’s an Alice in Wonderland air that is intriguing (it works well when she is stealing a car) but sometimes too much of a puzzle. Yet a simple scene with Luc swimming is a highlight. And one with balloons and her dead brother, with Gray and Rainsford showing impressive physicality, is excellent.

Director Stephen Bailey shares Powell’s efforts to keep the play tight. But the subject is big, and any takeaway necessarily provisional… which may frustrate some. The idea of a crisis in mental health possessing an element of exhilaration as well as being scary is fascinating. But Surfacing suffers from its brevity. The ideas are there but need expanding. 

Until 19 February

www.vaultfestival.com

Poster artwork by Bjorn Bauer

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“The Lehman Trilogy” at the Gillian Lynne Theatre

Returning to London after a successful Broadway run, this hit show has a sense of confidence – fully deserved – that infuses the whole piece. Telling a story that starts in 1844, with only three performers, has its own kind of grandeur. Director Sam Mendes shows his skill as a brilliant storyteller.

Michael Balogun, Hadley Fraser and Nigel Lindsay perform as narrators as well as taking the roles of the Lehman brothers, their sons and grandsons. They also fill in for a variety of secondary characters, which means a lot of accents that, naturally, impresses. They never leave the stage – three hours and 20 minutes in total – and never lose focus.

It all seems simple. There’s some strong video and sound design from Luke Halls and Nick Powell. And Es Devlin’s set doesn’t change, although it does revolve. But it’s the impeccable manner with which Mendes paces the action in Ben Power’s adaption of Stefano Massini’s book that is the real success: key events build in momentum balanced by quiet moments of great stillness.

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All the style and intelligence the show can boast is needed, given an odd script filled with poor humour. On the page, the dialogue must be horribly portentous. It’s not that the story isn’t interesting – rags to riches plus a potted history of America through the lens of finance. But there are more facts than ideas here. Oh, and frustratingly, the play explains little about the collapse of the Lehman bank.

The script and the action are clear, but there are a lot of recurrent lines, weighty metaphors and an odd mythic vibe that clunks along with tragedy, fire and flood – I was expecting horsemen at one point but guess that would have needed a fourth member of the cast. Epics often contain a good deal about gods: here there are self-consciously supernatural suggestions – the breath of inspiration – while the prodigious use of hindsight is, you might argue, unbelievable.

The emotional drivers are family and mortality, as we see the men age and die. The play is often moving. And the family proves inspirational… after a fashion. From selling cloth to cotton, and from selling the idea of reconstructing a community to the idea of consumption itself, their progress is spectacular. It seems there was always a dash of showmanship in the business. As with this production, the Lehmans’ achievements had confidence as the key.

Until 20 May 2023

www.thelehmantrilogy.com

Photos by Mark Douet

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“Borders” at the Vault Festival

Nimrod Danishman’s play has the tricky framework of two protagonists communicating solely by a dating app. Aside from the fact that the set-up isn’t that clear (starting the play with them on phones might help?) director Neta Gracewell handles the lack of action well. Restlessness reflects the characters frustration, and Ethan Cheek’s neat design serves as a set to lounge on while also separating the men – Boaz in Israel and George in Lebanon- who cannot meet in real life.

The cultural and political divide is where the play has most potential. But while Danishman isn’t obliged to educate his audience, and is providing a different take on conflict in the Middle East by giving voices to gay characters, there is less about the events than you might expect. It is interesting that we see how Boaz and George’s everyday lives are affected but there is little discussion about what’s going on and what we do hear, seems naive. The men seem so reluctant to argue they end up not saying much.

The characters themselves are intriguing. And there are strong performances from Yanic Yafe and Tarik Badwan who hold the stage effortlessly. The roles aren’t balanced; George’s poetical streak means Yafe has most chance to stand out. But Badwan makes the more reserved George endearing and is deeply moving at a moment of high emotion.

Given that the couple experience an escalation in conflict at the border, emotions are remarkably restrained. But it is their relationship itself that is too much of a surprise. While the flirting is sweet, the connection they form doesn’t convince. When their affection starts to get serious, including making plans to travel together, it’s too much of a strain. The motivations and conflicts for both men need elaborating. It’s clear that their future isn’t together. But that I cared about what happens next for both characters, shows the strength of Danishman’s writing.

Until 12 February 2023

www.vaultfestival.com

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“The Silver Bell” at the Vault Festival

Alan Flanagan’s hour-long two-hander is easy to recommend. The play is funny and heartfelt, while the polished direction from Dan Hutton leads to enjoyable performances from Brendan O’Rourke and Flanagan himself.

A love affair between Mico and James gets a lot of laughs. From the start, Flanagan and O’Rouke make this pleasingly unlikely couple endearing. One is an actor, the other a scientist, and their squabbles are sweet. There is impressive detail in the writing and an air of frank, disarming honesty.

That what we see is the re-enactment of their romance adds charm and intrigue (Mico’s nerves and notebook are lovely touches). As things become serious, with James’ death from motor neurone disease, the play tugs at heartstrings in an effective but impressively unsentimental fashion. Flanagan’s understated performance is excellent.

Next comes some sci-fi. Mico’s research becomes real as he jumps to different universes to find his partner again. There are light touches along the way and O’Rourke gets to shine as different versions of his character. The action is tight, and Amy Hill’s lighting design is, like the script, nice and neat.

The James from another universe (who has an offstage Mico of his own) can see what’s really going on. But Mico needs to work out that telling – rather than trying to repeat – his story is the important thing. Against the odds, the play becomes celebration of love, however painful, and a thought-provoking piece about grief that lingers in the memory.

Until 12 February 2023

www.vaultfestival.com

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“Linck & Mülhahn” at the Hampstead Theatre

A true story about a gender-nonconforming couple in 18th-century Germany has been rescued from history by playwright Ruby Thomas. The source material – predictably, records of a trial – is scant but has served as the inspiration for a fulsome and rewarding script.

Anastasius Linck was born female but lived as a man and had a military career before marriage to Catharina Mülhahn in 1720. The subsequent trial of both offered Thomas what must have been tempting opportunities (Linck spent time as a prophet!) that have been condensed to present a focused show with epic qualities of romance and history.

If it crosses your mind that Linck & Mülhahn sounds sentimental or worthy, the sparkling script corrects this quickly. There is a wicked balance of old and new idioms that is a delight. Some of the metaphors are heavy, but plenty have charm. And the dialogue is fun!

The serious subject and often playful tone make great titular roles for Maggie Bain and Helena Wilson, who are both excellent. There’s a strong part, too, for Mülhahn’s mother, where Lucy Black gets to show off comedy skills before revealing her character’s spite and becoming an interesting villain.

Director Owen Horsley gives us romance but stops the lovers becoming too sweet by emphasising their wit. It’s a shame that contemporary music breaks up the scenes – it feels a lazy way to make the show feel modern – but Simon Wells’ deceptively simple set is highly effective.

There are a lot of philosophers mentioned in the play (although, interestingly, not Kierkegaard, who I suspect is closest to Thomas’ heart), which is an easy way to get big questions aired. All the talk of “essences” might be explored more. And the intellectual atmosphere of the age is evoked a little loudly. But the play’s attempts to respect history, avoiding modern labels for its protagonists, while making contemporary concerns clear and moving, is impressive. There’s an excellent sense of balance and directness throughout Linck & Mülhahn that shows intelligence.

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It’s no plot spoiler to reveal that in real life the story ends sadly. So, getting the Queer Joy that’s topical (and so welcome that I’ve capitalised it) is hard. Fear not, as Thomas makes every effort and is aided by Marty Cruickshank, who plays Mülhahn’s older self. This is not a big role, but Cruickshank might just end up the star of the show – recounting the sheer bliss of her marriage provides the “light” the play is explicit about wanting.

The trial scene is uncomfortable but is tackled as an odd blend of humour and inspiration. Stock judges and lawyers – pompous, sharp or asleep – are there to be laughed at. We can applaud those who testify for Linck – and both concluding speeches. But the final cheers are for the writer, Thomas. The parting between the couple is wonderfully romantic and a fanciful touch that brings us into the present provides a heart-stopping ending.

Until 14 March 2023

www.hampsteadtheatre.com

Photos by Helen Murray