Black – 20 Stories High – Playhouse Studio – 28/01/2015

This week we saw Benedict Cumberbatch being roundly berated in the press for being racist when he thought he was being quite the opposite. It wouldn’t be the first time that someone had got into hot water by using the wrong terminology, intentionally or not, but this occurrence came with perfect timing to get the subject of racial abuse into everyone’s minds, ahead of the opening night of Keith Saha’s new work in the Playhouse Studio.

Nikki doesn’t see herself as racist – she doesn’t see her family as racist – but when a new family (who happen to be black) move into the street she can’t help noticing the reaction. Over the next hour or so we see her confront the opinions of her family, her neighbours and ultimately herself as she struggles to understand and to form her own view of the situation.

Abby Melia makes a hugely impressive professional debut in what is very nearly a solo performance as Nikki. At first she mirrors the behaviour of her own community but when she turns up for her work placement at the day nursery, and finds herself meeting them via their children, she becomes increasingly torn between her need to conform and her realisation that she’s met a good family.

Craig Shanda spends much of the play behind the decks providing the soundtrack to the piece, and he delivers his lines musically. He represents rather than plays the role of Precious, the elder son of the new family who Nikki finds a bond with as the play progresses.

This is a tremendous piece of writing from Saha, who attacks the issues head on but never offers any easy solutions or happy endings. It’s important for a piece like this to act as a catalyst for discussion rather than a neat explanation. In early scratch performances, the author says people thought it might be set some decades ago, failing to believe that people really behave like this today, but he observes that if anything we are going backwards in our post 9/11 world, with undercurrents of racism on a sharp increase. It will be interesting to see the reactions that this piece gets in its various diverse tour destinations, and when it airs in school performances.

Director Julia Samuels worked with the cast over a 2½ week period to consolidate the journey that the characters go through and their work has paid off in a powerful and compelling performance. Miriam Narabbo’s simple but effective set, with some touches of playroom quirkiness, is lit by Douglas Kuhrt.

Touring from 3rd February via The MAC Belfast, The Key Peterborough, Contact Manchester, Bolton Octagon, Lawrence Batley Huddersfield, Burnley Arts Centre, St Helens Chester Lane Library, The Albany Deptford, and MAC Birmingham, Closing 20th March.