Three dancer friends navigate a global pandemic and a strike that have turned the industry upside down, but it’s the battle between their craft and a disheartening industry, full of prejudice and stereotype, that they must contend with, in this honestly raw play.
When one thinks of “urban” dances, the Electric Slide and the Bogle are ones that come to mind, but watching Ade (played by the exceptional Mohammed Mansaray), Manny (Onafowokan) and Zion (Ikenwe) – young black actors striving for success, we realise that their ability to tap dance is just as important. Each of them is hard-working and dream of being booked and having enough “clout” to move away from the breadline that so many actors often live on. Zion lives with five family members in a two-bed house, and Manny balances his acting work with a 35-hour a week hospitality job. For both, acting is intertwined with their self-identity. Ade is different: the voice of his mother, sick in hospital, is heard regularly telling him that he is loved and to be proud of his (often mispronounced) name.
Faisal Dacosta and Raphel Famotibe’s play boldly takes on a dizzying array of topics, from code-switching and typecasting to the exploitative nature of auditions and the woeful lack of support for actors at every point of their career. In the moments where it works, the script allows its actors to tease out complex issues with a blend of humour and deliberately uncomfortable silences. It is ambitious, but not always successful in executing its vision – there is a moment when Manny, being mocked by the others for his Jamaican patois, responds by saying he “can’t tell my agent I can’t do a black accent.” It’s a funny line that speaks to the stereotyping of black skin and the acrid truth that for many casting directors, “black” roles lack nuance. Sadly, it isn’t picked at, and feels like an opportunity missed.
There is a nod to the current ongoing strikes, and again, it feels like a chance to delve into a nuanced topic goes begging. Ultimately, it is a funny and thoughtful piece of theatre that has the courage to try and speak to the moment and should be applauded for doing it all in a way that leaves the audience considering how viable the industry is.
Check out more from Theatre Peckham | Find out more about Faisal Dacosta| Raphel Famotibe |
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