Malorie Blackman’s novel Noughts & Crosses has perhaps never been more relevant than it is today. Telling the story of a dystopian universe in which people are segregated into Crosses – the dark-skinned ruling class – and Noughts, the ‘colourless’ underclass who were once forced into slavery by the Crosses.
Sephy is a Cross. Callum is a Nought. Together, they form an unlikely and passionate friendship that blossoms into a young love that sees the two fighting against ideas and beliefs that are much bigger than they are.
The decision to take on such a mammoth story and develop a mainstage production using young actors in just two weeks was a bold one. Despite this, there were moments of top quality theatre. The use of silhouettes and tableau imagery behind a paper back drop was particularly enjoyable, as was the interactive nature of the paper, with a character drawing on a door as and when it was needed. More of this wouldn’t have gone amiss.
The explosion scene – in which Callum’s brother, who has since joined the Nought Liberation Militia, sets a bomb off in a packed out shopping centre – was the theatrical highlight of the production, with an excellent use of lighting, stage and set; the cast ripping the paper wall apart, to be rained on by debris falling from the ceiling. All flooded in a dramatic red light.
Charlotte Brailsford’s performance as ‘future’ Persephone stood out. She delivered a clean, professional series of monologues, and lifted the production to no end. She’s got a mighty fine set of lungs on her, an’ all.
It was disappointing to see a cast comprising almost entirely of young, white actors. For a play that is focused on the separation and segregation of a community based on something as insignificant as skin colour, it is arguably essential that the cast reflects the story. While I understand that this may have been an unavoidable outcome, due to the fact the young actors have to volunteer themselves to be involved in Playhouse Youth Theatre, I do believe that it is the responsibility of the director to ensure he or she can properly and realistically deliver the story they wish to present.
Alongside the lack of diversity within the cast, little was done to distinguish between who was a Nought and who was a Cross. Yes, the Noughts appeared to dress slightly scruffier than Crosses, but the difference was not stark enough to be noticeable. The lack of distinction, in my opinion, detracted from the plays message.
However, these issues should not detract from the achievements of the young cast, who did well to understand the complex relationship between Persephone and Callum, and delivered an enjoyable production.
Noughts & Crosses was performed at Nottingham Playhouse on Saturday 27 August 2016
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