Director: Nancy Medina
Writer: Pravin Wilkins
The idea of locker-room talk was at the forefront of the American consciousness for much of the second half of 2016. Presidential hopeful Donald Trump had shown yet another rotten side to his character, and dismissed some disgusting comments as the type of harmless thing men say to each other in sporting locker-rooms. Also at this time, the beginnings of a wave of anti-racist protest was sweeping the US, with the San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kapernick taking a knee on-field during the national anthem.
Pravin Wilkins’ smashing new play takes these two things and creates a lucid, compelling and intellectual discussion on that moment and movement of protest, framed as an emotionally mature and dramatically weighty NFL locker-room talk.
Through four characters, players on an unnamed and highly competitive NFL team, we get to see a multitude of different views on the movement Kap was starting as well as the overall state of race relations in the US. Captain Danny Lombardo‘s sole focus and sphere of consciousness is the football field. Cre’von Garcon is in his second year, just wants to keep his head down and studiously avoids getting involved in race discussions, though cannot resist trying to help his teammates. Ezekiel “Zeke” Williams feels something is missing from life, and as the child of Black Panther activists is keen to use what profile and power he has to make a difference they’d be proud of. Luis Moreno, a proud Chicano, initially only concerned with his pocket-book and progress, faces a realisation that as Trumpism sweeps the country the fight his teammates and other African Americans are having is something he needs to make a difficult choice on.
Wilkins uses his characters to lay out an eloquent, broad and engrossing argument on the protests themselves and driving forces behind it. Not only knowledgeable and considerate, it sensitively challenges the idea of pure intentions – wondering aloud if this is a way of seeking personal salvation, relevance and profile, and exploring lightly whether there’s an element of selfishness attached. It’s a fascinating, upsetting thought that needs much deeper discussion in public.
Through powerful use of language and smart choices in the narrative, Wilkins attacks his theme like a master debater. With storytelling, bountiful rhetoric, wit and excellent timing he lands point after point to build a well-balanced platform. His language choices reflect varied backgrounds and even classes, though not completely without fault. The injection of well-constructed monologues on serious themes feels jarring in the first half before becoming much more settled and in place during the second. We are, however, left largely in the dark about the consequences and contract implications for those involved in the protests as the play ends, though there are allusions, denying us a sense of closure and a full picture of what getting involved really means.
Delivering all this is a set of faultless performances from the four actors. As Moreno, Sebastián Capitán Viveros is a vibrant, dynamic presence, drawing all eyes to him and creating a perfect foil for Joseph Black’s considerate, conflicted and highly intelligent Zeke. They’re all framed by Aldo Vazquez’s simple gridiron themed set for their locker-room encounters, and backed by a great audio experience from sound designer Duramaney Kamara.
Wilkins’ words and the confident, stimulating direction from Nancy Medina combine to create a superb meditation on an important time for modern America. It’s all here in microcosm, in an educational and mature piece of work that should inspire deeper thought in all audiences.
Runs until 26 March 2022
The Reviews Hub Score
Educational and mature
