Death of England and the Outernet

First, let’s get it out there that I think Paapa Essiedu is an impressive actor so I was really pleased to get an on-the-day ticket for a second row seat to see his performance as Delroy.  I really like the auditorium at Soho Place, I don’t think there is a bad seat anywhere, but this was a particularly  good view although sometimes a bit uncomfortably close to the action.

This 100 minute long monologue is intense, even more so in this intense space with eye contact possible with every member of the audience, adding to the engagement, or maybe complicity we feel.  And as ‘Delroy’, or maybe Essiedu, may well ask you a specific question and expect an answer we’d better be paying attention.

I have somehow been seeing this trilogy of state of the nation plays in reverse order.  I saw the third (Closing Time) last year, but I still need to book to see the first one (Michael), annoyingly I missed Rafe Spall as Michael in the first iteration because I was ill.  Doing it in reverse order means I know outcomes before causes, for example, I heard about Carly and Delroy’s first kiss from Carly before I heard Delroy's version, but overall I don’t think that mattered.  

The stage is a simple red cross of St George, using that symbol of a peculiarly English form of nationalism as the backbone for all of the plays as the actors march across it, mark it and define their own version of being English.  The trilogy takes a look at working class Britain, black and white, dealing with nationalism, racism, class, and what that means for identity, love and family.  There are references to Brexit, Black Lives Matter and it’s brought right  up to date with the far right riots, Palestine and Trump to pick out just a few.  But Delroy is just trying to live his life with all that context bearing down on him.  Delroy is telling us the story of how he ended up with an ankle tag and missed the birth of his daughter.  Fiercely in love with a white girl with a racist father, a Black, British man with West Indian heritage, who voted for Brexit and Boris (twice!), Delroy is full of contradictions.  He's a proud, passionate, loving, honest man but angry and ashamed and frustrated and real.  

Essiedu is a powerhouse in this, absolutely spellbinding and I loved every minute, even the bits where I caught his eye and I was worried he was going to ask me a question.  He had us all in the palm of his hand in the same way as a standup does when the magic works.   And at the end, the whole auditorium leapt to their feet as one as soon as the lights went down.  Funny, thought provoking and moving. Blooming marvellous. 

I have to say though that brilliant as the auditorium is, they still haven’t solved how to get the audience out without painful delays down a single staircase.  Surely there should be a better way for a brand new theatre?*

Before I headed across Charing Cross Road for the play I spent a great half hour enjoying the Outernet opposite Tottenham Court Road tube station.  A fabulous digital art immersive experience with space to sit on seats or lie on the ground and look up at the art unfolding all around.  It’s open on two sides so you can just walk in for a minute or an hour.  It’s free, suitable for kids and well worth a visit if you are in the area. 

* I realise I said exactly the same thing when I saw Medea at this theatre last year