Writer: Christine Bacon
Director: Charlotte Westenra
Christine Bacon has written a combative, argumentative play designed to convince a liberal audience that Western aid projects to deprived countries are masking the causes of their deprivation, enabling rich countries to assuage their guilt and failing to make root-and-branch changes that are desperately needed. The principal voices for these arguments are a disenchanted aid worker, Jo, played winningly by Ella Bryant, and a Kenyan activist everywoman Kala, played with fire and entertaining snark by Grace Saif.
Christine Bacon renders these arguments through a series of two-handed discussions, through a number of scenes that provide explication through the medium of magic tricks, and with some fantasy walk-ons by historical figures persuading Jo of the validity of her rebellion.
It’s a set of sincere arguments, and Christine Bacon’s involvement with several significant action groups making the case for refugees and Human Rights makes her a valid, unimpeachable spokesperson for radical ideas. Their execution in dramatic form is more open to question.
The magic trick explication of the deficiencies of aid programmes seems to be borrowed from The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, but Robert Tressell made the arguments easier to follow and harder to challenge, if rather more of a lecture. None of the magic tricks seems either illuminating or well-worked tricks. Being presented with contentious ideas in a play, when the cards are so heavily stacked in favour of the side the playwright wants to win, can have the effect of making an audience baulk – it knows what it is expected to come away with, and it just won’t.
Introducing an argument through drama is effective, making that argument a winning one less inevitable. Brecht’s didactic plays have lasted less well than the plays with skewed opinions like Mother Courage. No one should automatically agree with Mother Courage, but everyone should listen to her and come to an accommodation with a flawed but charismatic protagonist.
Grace Saif works hard to inhabit the character of Kala, but it’s underwritten and sketchily characterised. Ella Bryant is approachable and keen, but ultimately less convincing than the cynical economist from the IMF played by Kevin Trainor, or the harassed but committed aid worker played by Georgina Rich. These characters have a harder ride from the authorial politics, but wind up as more believable, richer characters.
Florence Nightingale (also Georgina Rich) makes a surprising and dramatic entrance. The play might have benefited from more surprises like that.
Runs until 4 July 2026
