Death of England
Dorfman Theatre, NT. February 8th, 2020
Roy Williams and Clint Dyer hold a mirror up to this side of England, one that I see in the narrative of the Brexit party but not one I embrace, in this powerful single-hander, expertly played by the magnificent Rafe Spall.
The Dorfman has been transformed with the red cross of the English flag dominating the space. It is the first of the many symbols cleverly integrated into the space that support Spall in this vibrant and vicious monologue.
He is Michael. Son of an eastend flower stall owner. Best friend to boxer, football player, mathematician, and brexit voting Jamacian Delroy. But someone who has no ideas of his own, no idea who he is and no idea what he should stand for (he didn’t even vote in the Brexit vote).
He’s angry, he’s alone, he’s all at sea. He seeks solace and answers in alcohol and coke to power him through the day with bravado, bullshit and bluster. He relies on his fists to solve his problems.
He’s searching to understand but he’s afraid. And his fear is loud and aggressive, then child-like and questioning. How the hell did we get here? What does it mean to be English?
It’s a brilliantly blustering performance from Spall. The speed and colour of the dialogue is impressive and what you’ll see at any eastend market. The physicality and staging leave nowhere to hide and the proximity of the audience to the stage makes this feel like someone telling a story at the local boozer. I enjoyed this breaking of the 4th wall. It makes Michael one of us, yet not and adds a layer of vulnerability to the performance.
5/5 A powerful mirror to this post Brexit England of 2020.
