One Way Out – Brixton House, London

Writer and Director: Montel Douglas

Four lads larking around before their A levels accidentally smash one of the college windows. This minor event goes on to have devastating and dramatically different consequences for each boy as they face their futures and reflect on their place in society and their friendship.

The stage is a simple black space with four orange chairs used to clever effect for different scenes. The main setting is the local youth club that the four close friends have attended since childhood. They discover a notice that the club is being closed for a housing development, highlighting the gentrification of this south London postcode.

There is a sense of fun and friendship with the four studying together or hanging out playing snooker and table tennis, and singing and dancing along, encouraging this pleasingly young audience to join the moves to K-Trap’s Warm, which is joyous without crossing the line into blurred lines between audience and play. However, the audience definitely becomes invested in the outcome of Devonte’s date with the hottest girl in college.

It is Devonte’s character, played by Joshua-Alexander Williams, with the performance of the night, a couple of press night-fluffed lines professionally saved, with whom the meat of the plot lies. He came to the UK to live with relatives who were part of the Windrush Generation, aged 10. His character, unjustly blamed for the window, has his name flagged to authorities when the college reports the window to the police as part of the insurance claim. Having just turned 18, he receives notice to provide official documentation of the right to live in the UK and proof of being here for the duration, something he was unaware was needed and finds impossible to get together in time.

There are other back stories for the other three friends who represent different cultural backgrounds, but these feel rather more two-dimensional. The best of these is Salim (Adam Seridji), whose ambition is to turn the family shop into a thriving chain. Subtly brought in are the cultural norms for him as he delves deeper into his religion and as he reflects on what is haram and his happily not consuming alcohol at Tunde’s (David Alade) 18th birthday party, without overly making this a statement or political, just how it is, which is refreshing.

Weakest is the character Paul (Joe Deighton), whose childhood dream of being a magician is flailing. Toward the end of the play, he reveals he has violently punched his abusive alcoholic father, an odd time to bring in such a major topic. It is this that lets down this play, there are just too many topics brought in without then being fleshed out or followed through. The gentrification plot goes nowhere.

Ultimately, it would have been better to concentrate solely on the appalling reality still being faced by the people of Jamaican heritage, due to the consistent failure of UK policy, the kicking of the problem down the road with successive government enquiries. Words without justice.

Overall, though, this play feels youthful and urgent. It is Montel Douglas’ first staged play and there is real meat here. It will be exciting to see how this young playwright’s future work will develop.

Runs until 5 July 2025