Performed straight through without interval, this 80 minute production flaunts convention in the face as it tackles a rather tricky issue, which - albeit for me not to draw parallels, we should be very mindful of, since we have seen what happens when hatred, xenophobia and racism are taken to their extremes already - actually could make the audience feel a little uncomfortable, and asks more questions about our allegiances, beliefs, and our understanding of race and nationality, than it actually answers.
Rebecca Harrison is no stranger to having her plays performed in Manchester, and having seen quite a few of her works over the years (especially in the days of the 24/7 Festival), I can honestly say that she has definitely grown as a playwright, and this, her latest piece of theatre, is really something quite special.
The plot is simple enough in itself; a middle-aged white Englishman drives a white van for a living. He has a Polish wife and a couple of children at home. His boss is Asian, but this is not a problem to him he says, they have been friends for a long time and went to the same school. He is not racist, or at least so he keeps telling himself. He does however fly a small English flag in the cab of his van (the flag of St George), his dad is very old-school and both hates and fears the "take-over" of non-whites in his country, and he does start a very unhealthy friendship with a young trouble-causing influencer who could quite easily be a member of the EDL or similar. His boss asks him quite rightly and politely to take the flag down, as it goes against company policy, but of course, he refuses, and it is this decision which is the catalyst for the rest of the play, which snowballs into contentious and dangerous territory, and even out of control.
Where this play is completely different is that from the start and at points throughout, Harrison herself speaks directly to the audience stopping the action on stage, ameliorating, exemplifying, and explaining her choices and reasons for writing certain scenes I do believe this play is unique in this regard. The cast also take directly to the audience as they introduce each scene, and English songs which one would associate with patriotism and nationalism and belonging are sung by certain characters at certain times as another way of pursuing narrative drive and emotional response.
The stage setting is optimal and clever, with the use of a van side as a projector for the titles of scenes etc to be screened upon, and the lighting (including haze) is beautifully created, giving no-one a complete unshadowed spotlight. meaning that al the characters are always only partially lit and this creates both atmosphere and tension.
The six cast are a true ensemble, with obvious latent energy behind each performer, creating the impression that this situation could blow up at any moment. Shaban Dar, Chiara Dev Galli, George Miller, Simon Naylor, James Quinn, and Olivia Sweeney are all deserving of high praise, as indeed is director Olivia Sweeney for managing to tackle the subject of racism in such a thought-provoking and honest way. The play focuses on what it means to be British by highlighting the vulnerability and later alienation of Billy, out antihero van driver, and shows us with candour how easy it is to be persuaded and even radicalised, and how soon such events, in today's technically advanced society, can soon become global and terrifying. It is in the beauty and skill of Naylor's underplaying of some of his interchanges which creates the opportunity for the radicalisations from the slimy Stevie Smith to begin.
It is a rare occasion for me to have a lump in the throat and tears in my eyes when at the theatre, I thought I was thicker skinned and inured to this due to the number of plays I have seen over the years; but not this time; you got me!
Produced by Take Back Theatre and 53Two this is (and I cannot remember the last review I wrote this on) a must-see.
Reviewer - Alastair Zyggu
on - 15.6.25
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