Noughts & Crosses

Review by James

⭐

“Unsatisfying”. “It was fine”. I’m a firm believer in listening out for the hot takes of theatregoers as they head home. These moments of honesty are usually said in hushed tones. Those leaving “Noughts & Crosses” weren’t minded to be so discrete.

The revival of Malorie Blackman’s popular story - a familiar part of the school curriculum - at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre is sadly a mess of a production.

Make no mistake, the story’s subject matter is powerful; a Romeo & Juliet-inspired exploration of racism, class prejudice and extremism. Centred upon young students Sephy (a Cross) and Callum (a Nought), played by the solid if largely one-dimensional Corinna Brown and Noah Valentine, it starts with an interesting inversion of the racism faced by black students in Alabama in the early 1960’s as they entered White only schools.

A harsh light is shone on the absurdity of racism and poignantly extends to more subtle forms of discrimination, such as the schoolgirl using a plaster that doesn’t match her skin tone.

But despite Brown and Valentine’s valiant efforts, the production lets them down and the whiff of overacting permeates the company. The brutalist set design and brooding lighting only comes into its own as night falls at the story’s bleak denouement. The use of television reports to assist the narration is clever at first but ends up becoming its own cliché, while the second half races through major moments at a breakneck pace which diminishes their emotional impact.

A number of moments were eye-roll inducing, foremost of which came as the sound of bird song was hamfistedly played to denote the arrival of morning. I especially pity the chairs which were repeatedly thrown around in piques of anger. This blunt approach to expressing emotion perhaps best encapsulates the plays’ many shortcomings.

Younger sections of the audience appeared to enjoy it, and that’s a good thing for the health of theatre. But for everyone else, it is at least picnic season in Regent’s Park. That’s something, I suppose.