Slaves to an empire state of mind
I walk into the pub convinced that I’m in the wrong place. I enquire at the bar and to my surprise I’m directed upstairs. ‘Slaves’ by Rex Obano is indeed showing one floor above The Latchmere Pub. All I can think is: wow this is different. The unusual location makes Theatre503 a hidden gem where two worlds are connected by a single staircase.
Without any choice I’m pulled into the story in the first act as I feel like I’m eavesdropping on a very personal conversation between a couple seated in a prison visitors room. Instantly the actors disappear and the characters are left on stage. Obano draws from his past experience working as a prison security guard and translates this on stage. ‘Slaves’ is a microcosm that reflects society as a whole and our false sense of freedom as many are mentally enslaved to an empire state of mind. The most memorable moments of the play are monologues delivered by Beru Tessema and Rob Ostlere, who play Jenks and Mohammed respectively. Obano’s skill as a writer and the underlying message he conveys to the audience are visible when Jenks talks about freedom and Mohammed talks about slavery.
I am moved by Adetomiwa Edun’s performance in a scene where Officer Chris Jackson is exposed physically and emotionally after he is strip searched by his colleague. I can feel his character’s humiliation as I watch his dignity being ripped away with each item of clothing. In this moment Chris is a slave to the institution he works for and there is no difference between him and the inmates. Scarlett Johnson, who plays Melissa and Jessica in the drama, transforms seamlessly from one character to the other so well that I had to check the playbill to confirm that she is both characters. Things aren’t always as they seem and several characters reveal shocking details about themselves and each other. There are several scenes that remind the audience that prison life is a fight for survival and there can be severe repercussions for the smallest offences. To balance the harsh truths there are humorous moments that gave me a chance to catch my breath.
The creative team deserve recognition because the limited space in the theatre does not hinder the production at all. Instead the cast manage to move and rearrange props with precision to create new scenes, transporting the audience to another place or time. The small stage, simple props and intimate atmosphere allow the audience to focus on the depth of the story and its gripping reality without frills. However, the distracting music used to segue between each act breaks the flow of the play and jolts you into the next scene.
Slaves is an enjoyable play that sparks discussion between friends about topics that are more related to your lives than you think.
Slaves runs until 20 February at Theatre 503
I thought the play was interesting and it left me thinking as good theatre should, but in some areas I found myself wondering whether it was just out to shock me rather than tell me a story. It seemed to meander a lot; characters revealed things sometimes a lot happened sometimes nothing happened and in that way it was very realistic but as a play, I think a few scenes could stand to be cut. There was too much going on institutional racism, interracial relationships, terrorism, paeodophillia, drug use, stop and search tactics, homosexuality, rape and of course slavery.
I found the scene changes jarring at times, I just get into what’s going and it looked as though something was going to happen then…change scene.
The space was used very well with the two screens being able to symbolise the corridors of a large complex building with many wings, the gates of a prison yard and cramped cells. Overall a good first play but some serious editing needs to be done the next time round!
I like the play. I thought it was powerful and original. The characters were interesting because they were all good and bad in some ways. The personal journey of the new officer merging with his personal issues was the strongest point of the play as far as I am concerned.
I thought the play was very cleverly written and performed. I particularly liked the simplicity of the set, two large cages and tables and chairs – and the way that they were used in the various scenes to carry across the theme of imprisonment. If I have any criticism it may be that some characters were not developed enough for us to feel any sympathy/empathy with them, lots of themes begun but not fully explored and one unnecessarily vulgar scene.
I found the play at bit too slow (or too long) but quite thought provoking. Sad account of life and racism issues within the prison services.
I agree with Alice that the performances were good and the atmosphere evocative.
However, overall I thought that the play was over ambitious. Trying to cram in too many themes and not enough time to explore the characters.
Hopefully he will have matured as a writer by the time he pens his next play.
I enjoyed the play and it did give me plenty to think about. At times it was bit OTT and melodramatic, but as a fan of soap operas it’s something I’m used to! I do think maybe too many issues were trying to be explored. For example the main character’s wife drug addiction was never fully explored, but that’s a minor quibble. I thought all the performances were very strong and I agree that the fact that this was happening above the pub was definitely an added bonus – I’d definitely go there again.
Loved this play! Saw it twice…excellent review : ) Peace
We went to see Slaves with a large group of friends and it was interesting to see how much our opinions of the play differed. I could not say that I enjoyed it as the topic was really heavy (life in prison) but I was really impressed by the performances of the actors, in particular Scarlett Johnson as Melissa/Jessica and Cornell S. John as Reuben. Where the play was successful too was in creating a very claustrophobic atmosphere, that made you really feel like you were in prison. Rex Obano’s writing is promising; I particularly liked how he managed to include some very funny moments in a play that’s really dark.
The fact that the theatre is located above a pub is a bonus, as it encourages people to linger on and discuss what they have just watched. We didn’t stay in the pub, but we did discuss the play at length on our way home. It’s the kind of play that stays with you and elicit a reaction.