By Dan O’Farrell.
‘Noughts & Crosses’ – Malorie Blackman’s iconic 2001 novel – has deservedly attained ‘modern classic’ status in the 25 years since its publication. It’s become a fixture of many a secondary school curriculum – both in its original form and as a playscript – and Mayflower Studio 1 is packed tonight with eager rows of students, ready to be drawn into the book’s dystopian world by Sabrina Mahfouz’s dramatic and kinetic adaptation.
The reasons for the story’s long-lasting success and influence are clearly evident in this performance. The alternative universe that the book establishes is one tweak away from the world that we live in: a world of systematic racism and segregation, with citizens of one skin-colour relentlessly and (largely) carelessly oppressed by those of another. Blackman’s genius twist is to have a black privileged class – ‘Crosses’ – dominating society over a white class – ‘Noughts’. This simple ‘flipping’ of the real-life racist injustices that plague our society creates an even greater dramatic frisson in the theatre than on the page, forcing the audience to constantly question our own unconscious assumptions and stereotypes.
Into this ‘familiar-but-different’ world, the story throws a ‘Romeo & Juliet’-flavoured love story. Saphy (Brianna Douglas) is the innocent but privileged Cross, daughter of a conniving Home Secretary father (Chris Jack) and an unhappy, alcoholic mother (Elexi Walker). Her childhood bestie, then sweetheart, is Callum (Lewis Tidy) – an impoverished but motivated Nought who – as a sop to global pressure – has finally been allowed to join Saphy’s previously segregated school. The deliberate echoes of the Little Rock school protests in American history create the atmosphere of unfairness and distrust that pulls the friends apart and threatens their tentative romance.
The lead performances are heartfelt and convincing. Brianna Douglas imbues Saphy with a well-meaning, wide-eyed enthusiasm that makes the sharp learning-curve of her bruising experiences seem genuinely baffling to her. Chris Jack plays Callum with a similar energy: his early innocence hardening into righteous but bewildered rage as his brother and father are drawn into the violent protests of the ‘Liberation Militia’. Both actors bring a hard-won sense of world-weariness to Act 2 – set three years further on – so that the audience can feel the damage done to both of them by the world they inhabit. The rest of the cast also move seamlessly between characters with barely a pause for breath as the adaptation packs in the many key dramatic moments of the book.
The staging of ‘Noughts & Crosses’ is also pitch-perfect. The stark black split-wall of the opening backdrop is opened out to become a claustrophobic three-walled space constructed of large, red-lit tiles. The tiles open out, form windows and openings, or semi-opaque coverings for prison cells and secret rooms. Many of them hide screens which fire into life to broadcast Cross propaganda and expositional news reports. It’s a flexible and ever-evolving set which enables the full range of dramatic set-pieces (bombings, executions, chase-scenes…) to cause genuine gasps without ever slowing down the narrative.
There can be issues with adapting an already-popular 500-page novel for the stage and there are moments in Act 1 where the sheer density of dramatic twists and turns threatens to become a little overwhelming and desensitising. The pay-off comes in Act 2, however, when the drama narrows in focus and the pace is able to settle to a more comfortable rhythm.
The end of the play allows Mahfouz to amplify Blackman’s powerful questions: Can we change how power works in our society? Can we build a world without the oppression of any group? These feel like issues of even more pressingly urgent importance than when the ‘Noughts & Crosses’ was first published. As we bundle out into the chilly night air, it’s good to know that a full-house of students will be discussing these questions as they head home. I hope they make a better job of finding the answers than my generation.
‘Noughts & Crosses’ is at the MAST Mayflower Studios until 9th May and then continues its tour around the UK. Tickets are on sale at mayflower.org.uk or 02380 711811.
- In Common is not for profit. We rely on donations from readers to keep the site running. Could you help to support us for as little as 25p a week? Please help us to carry on offering independent grass roots media. Visit: https://www.patreon.com/incommonsoton