REVIEW: NOUGHTS & CROSSES at Hackney Empire until 14 May 2026
“The production uses the magnificent space of the Hackney Empire well and there is a great atmosphere from the packed audience of young people.” ★★★★
In Malorie Blackman’s seminal novel Noughts & Crosses the world is flipped. Black people (the Crosses) rule and have privilege, whilst the white people (the Noughts) are discriminated against and have little access to education and justice. A classic work for young people, this deeply unjust parallel world exposes the systematic racism of our own.
This touring production, adapted by Sabrina Mahfouz, brings the novel to life. The pacey direction, which uses video and the set (designed by Simon Kenny) very cleverly, keeps the novel’s complexity without getting bogged down in subplots and tells the story well in two and a half hours.
At the heart of the story is the friendship between “Cross” Sephy (Brianna Douglas) and “Nought” Callum (Lewis Tidy), excellently played by the young actors. Echoing Civil Rights-era America, Callum is among the first Nought students to be allowed into a Cross majority school, but is met with hate and violence. Sephy, a liberal Cross, gets caught in the crossfire as she attempts to welcome the new students. Her situation is complicated by her father (Chris Jack) being the Home Secretary in the authoritarian government. As the play progresses the characters have to make decisions about justice and trying to do the right thing whilst fighting for freedom.
The production uses the magnificent space of the Hackney Empire well and there is a great atmosphere from the packed audience of young people. A really strong production of a classic work which is unfortunately only in London for a few nights but continues to tour.
Photography: Von Fox Promotions
NOUGHTS & CROSSES based on the novel by Malorie Blackman adapted by Sabrina Mahfouz. Directed by Esther Richardson. Produced by Pilot Theatre in association with Northern Stage
Playing at the Hackney Empire until 14 May (then continuing to tour): https://www.hackneyempire.co.uk/events/noughts-and-crosses
