Review: MORENO by Pravin Wilkins at Theatre503 until 26 March 2022

‘A vastly important topic delivered in a brilliantly entertaining way’ ★★★★

In August 2016, Colin Kaepernick, the black quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, used the traditional sweep of the tv cameras along the teams during the national anthem to make a protest. He sat, rather than standing to attention, to focus on the Black Lives Matter movement, protesting about police brutality against black Americans. Donald Trump, campaigning for the presidency, highlighted Kaepernick’s ‘disrespect’ and the pre-game action of black athletes. ‘Taking a knee’ rather than standing for the anthem, became consequential and the focus of debate.

Pravin Wilkins, for his first play, has put that debate in the locker room of an NFL team. The team has just signed a superstar Chicano running back, Luis Moreno, at eye-watering expense. Moreno, two black team-mates, and the white quarter-back, discuss the responsibilities of citizens, the opportunities of figures in the media spotlight to articulate political opinions, and the violence that gave rise to Black Lives Matter. Are the demonstrations just for black players? Do individual circumstances matter, or is it a wider national debate? And what are the consequences for the players involved?

One set (a locker room), four characters and a crucial discussion of injustice and inequality and personal responsibility: In the world of multi-millionaire sports stars with very humble beginnings; in the medium of black street-slang and in the alien context of American Football. What exactly does a corner-back do? But director Nancy Medina gives it an energy and a flow, and a healthy vein of humour under-cutting the deeply serious subject matter, and it has four excellent performances – a special shout-out to Hayden McLean playing Cre’von Garcia, the youngest, least celebrated of the four players. Mr. McLean gives his supporting role so much charm and heart and wit that it sometimes seems a pity to go back to the debate, but that’s down to Pravin Wilkins making minor roles sing, which is a problem all plays should have.

A vastly important topic delivered in a brilliantly entertaining way, even if I had to do Wikipedia research on American Football.

Photography: Adiam Yemane

MORENO by Pravin Wilkins

at Theatre503 until 26 March 2022

Box Office https://theatre503.com/whats-on/moreno/

DIRECTOR

Nancy Medina

CAST

LUIS MORENO

Sebastián Capitán Viveros

EZEKIEL WILLIAMS

Joseph Black

CRE’VON GARCON

Hayden Mclean

DANNY

Reviewer:

Chris Lilly read Drama at Hull University in the 70s, stage-managed a bit, spent 8 years as a community arts worker in Tower Hamlets, did the occasional tech job, then taught in East London and participated in shedloads of community theatre. Since retiring from teaching, he has acquired an MA in 'Theatre' from the University of Surrey and indulged a passion for live performance anywhere in London courtesy of his Freedom Pass. Twitter @starsshinestill