Little Sweet Thing. To 23 April.
Nottingham
LITTLE SWEET THING
by Roy Williams
Tour to 23 April 2005
Runs 2hr 35min One interval
Review: Jen Mitchell 15 February at Nottingham Playhouse
A hard-hitting look at the realities of gang culture in inner city Britain.In the first play commissioned by Eclipse Theatre, Roy Williams has written a piece that deftly combines the harsh, bitter realities of life in a culture of drugs and violence with the true warmth and humour of real people living real lives as the characters struggle against, or give in to, the hopelessness of life in an inner-city estate.
The play revolves around Kev and his younger sister Tash. Kev has been recently released from prison and is fighting to go straight' despite the odds being stacked against him. Tash battles against the insecurities of growing up by developing the persona of a mouthy, over-confident she-devil.
The real people behind these facades are revealed slowly as the play progresses. Kev (Marcel McCalla) demonstrates an iron will in spite of the efforts of his previous partner-in-crime Ryan, and old friend Jamal, who has taken over his patch'. It is the dispute between these two the pusher and the user - that leads directly to the chilling conclusion of the piece.
Tash, we discover, has developed and finely tuned her character in an act of self preservation, keeping people at arm's length in an effort not to get hurt. Far from tragic, her feisty banter has the audience at once rolling with laughter and cringing with embarrassment. Seroca Davis is superb as she delivers the one-liners that any teenage girl would be proud to have thought up. (I'm sure many audience members will be trying to remember them for future use).
Lauren Taylor gives a fine performance as Zoë, an innocent and naive girl who follows the lead given by Tash but without the streetwise nature to follow it through or understand the consequences of her actions.
Never far under the surface is the threat of violence, drugs and guns. The faceless, hooded figure that appears at intervals throughout is the unspoken threat to all.
Throughout the first act there are glimmers of hope; a teacher who cares enough to argue and shout over the insults, strong family bonds and an emerging romance. In the second act we are hurtled towards a conclusion more stark and shocking than anything anticipated, its theatrical simplicity adding to the horror.
Tash: Seroca Davis
Zoë: Lauren Taylor
Nathan: Ben Brooks
Miss Jules: Kay Bridgeman
Ryan: Glenn Hodge
Jamal: Richie Campbell
Kev: Marcel McCalla
Angela: Ashley Madekwe
Director: Michael Buffong
Designer: Ruari Murchison
Choreographer: Kat
Fight director: Renny Krupinski
2005-02-21 09:15:15