REVIEW: PlayFight by Christina Alagaratnam at Seven Dials Playhouse until 5 August 2023
‘moving, funny and captivating play’ ★★★★ ½
This moving, funny and captivating play will both bring you to tears and make you laugh out loud. Teenagers Kai, Zara and TJ are close friends at school. The play begins with a wonderful portrayal of their playful, carefree lives in secondary school. The chemistry between the cast adds an authenticity to the innocence of their youth, while demonstrating the racism that they deal with on a daily basis. The story soon takes a dark turn as they approach adulthood and struggle to make sense of changes within themselves, at home, at school and on the streets. Their lives begin to unravel.
The writer, Christina Alagaratnam, handled these themes with sensitivity and care. The choreography of the movement was exciting and brought an extra dimension to some of the scenes. The complexity of the three young people’s lives is magnified when a serious incident takes place between them. The boys fail to see the toxicity of their behaviour and its effect. The incident demonstrates the result of an environment where young black boys and girls are often not allowed the luxury of being treated like the children that they are.
The writer, Christina Alagaratnam’s, honest and gritty portrayal of the consequences of misunderstandings between first generation parents and second-generation children and its devastating results, are very moving. The depth of emotion portrayed by the cast helped to open up a world of gang loyalty and hierarchy rarely scene on stage. The writer enabled the audience to come close to having an insight into, the life and death situations some young adults, are dealing with on a daily basis. This play is exciting and terrifying in equal measure.
PlayFight by Christina Alagaratnam at Seven Dials Playhouse
15 July – 5 August 2023
https://sevendialsplayhouse.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173644080/events/428593800
Director Lin John-Baptiste
Producer Shereener Browne
Set and Costume design Eliandro Montiero
Lighting Design Flip Vermeiren
Fight Director Kevin McCurdy
Movement Director Rhys Dennis
Cast
Ian Gordon as Kai
Carla Garratt as Zara
Landry Adelard as TJ
Reviewed by Paula David (actor, poet, singer/songwriter & playwright)
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