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Sus

The Lion and Unicorn Theatre, Inner London
From: Tuesday, 5th March 2013
To: Saturday, 23 March 2013

Our Review:

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Synopsis

The story begins with the arrest of a black man in 1979, picked up on fabricated suspicion charges related to the law at the time. As the play unfolds it is apparent that the police think he is guilty of a violent crime, carried out earlier that evening, closer to home. The play is a tragic study of fascist policemen set against the backdrop of the election that brought Margaret Thatcher to power.

Our Review:

15 March 2013

Naked racism is an ugly thing, but veiled can be just as intimidating. Especially in recently formed Dilated Theatre company's visceral, accomplished version of Barrie Keefe's 1979 play SUS at the Lion and the Unicorn.

Based around true events, SUS opens a door onto an example of petty and vindictive semi-institutionalised racism in London in the late 70s and early 80s typified by the so-called 'Sus' law. This meant officers could stop and search and pick up anyone off the street who they suspected of criminal activity but it was a power too often abused.

Alexander Neal excels as repellant white police officer Karn, psychologically torturing black husband and father of three Delroy (Wole Sawyerr) in designer Celestine Healy's bleak police office. For all his pretentions of culture, the holidays to Europe he takes with his wife, he's a vile bigot who tells Delroy he should have gone back home when he had the chance - regardless of the fact Delroy was...

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