Reader Reviews
The Westbridge (Royal Court - Jerwood Theatre, West End)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | Rachel De-lahay carefully constructs characters to prove points: that petty racisms and prejudices we each carry around can indeed hurt others, that identity is not immutable, and that noone is innocent. Usually it would bother me that a play is schematic, but exceptionally, this is an issues play infused with vitality, realism and quirkiness, and in this production, it all works brilliantly. When I entered the Royal Court upstairs, all the chairs but those against one wall, were bolted to the floor facing all kinds of confusing different directions. If you do not wish to play tennis with your head, and are early enough, choose the wall. Having a nimble neck, and twisty legs, I chose a chair right next to the middle stage and ended up in the thick of the most important scenes, which I prefer, but I'm still unscrewing myself. All the actors are impressive. Ravi Aujla smoulders grumpily, Daisy Lewis is infused with restless energy, Ray Panthaki projects an open sincerity, but two actors moved ahead of the others in embodying the horrific confusion and wounded identities that casual racism can bring about: as Soriya (one mixed race half of a mixed race couple) and Andre (a joky but evasive black 16 year old suspected of rape), Chetna Pandya and Ryan Calais Cameron had real tears in their eyes. - steveatplays | 10 Dec 11 |
| I have to say the acting was terrific and deserves 5 stars. The staging too was interesting if somewhat contrived, but overall it was much too Soap opera for my liking - like an episode of Eastenders but with lashings of expletives?. That said it did have it's moments. But do Black and Asian actors always have to be cast to play these stereotypical characters? When will we get a drama that has black actors playing parts that do not tie them down as victims? I'm sick of it and Christ knows they must be too. Come on Royal Court let's have a play about blacks that isn't corseted by a victim's agenda. MOVE ON! - rds | 28 Nov 11 |
