JADAR

★★★★☆

Malorie Blackman’s 2001 Young Adult novel Noughts and Crosses has been revived once again. After a television show and numerous theatrical adaptations, the show seems to hold strong with audiences new and old.

Noughts and Crosses introduces audiences to a quasi-dystopian society divided by tyrannical social, economic and racial segregation. Blackman creates a world with reversed racial power structures, challenging the audience to consider the complexities of prejudice and privilege through a new lens.

In a modern take on Romeo and Juliet, cross Sephy (Brianna Douglas) and nought Callum (Lewis Tidy) embark on a forbidden relationship. In a cruel and violent society, are these star-crossed lovers as doomed as their Shakespearean counterparts? Can systemic oppression be resolved? And is their world much different to our own?

Being aimed at young adults, some of the script is a little patronising at times, holding your hand to ensure you understand the importance of each moment. In one such scene, Callum narrates the concept of the story, pondering on what a world with reversed roles would look like – it’s playfully meta but admittedly a little cheesy right before the conclusion.

Additionally, the cast is comprised of eight multi-rolling actors playing both adults and children, meaning some bits come across a little hammy with exaggerated expressions and high-pitched voices. Despite this, I appreciate the how their naivety and youth was juxtaposed by maturity and pain in a grittier and more grounded second act. After several years apart, the pair are reunited, Callum now a part of the liberation militia. Poetic monologues feel more at home here, the characters finally having better understanding of their emotions. I loved the oscillating warmth and tension Tidy brings to Callum’s character. It pairs nicely with the innocence and and passion of Douglas as Sephy.

A special shoutout also goes out to Tom Coleman who stepped in to play Jude book-in-hand with conviction in a surprisingly emotive performance. 

Simon Kenny’s costuming demonstrates social division, the cross’ opulent, richly coloured clothing and numerous mythology-inspired names juxtaposing the noughts’ washy, pale clothing. Meanwhile, Kenny’s stage design is sparse yet abstract and multi-functional, rows of square panels with hidden hatches fold together and slide apart while an array of desk and chair props fill the space. Combined with Ben Cowens’ bold lighting and Si Cole’s videos, these panels are transformed between playful playful beaches, dingy bunkers, and imposing prisons. Pre-recorded news broadcasts also make their appearance alongside a handful of impactful videos, one of which could be seen in the shopping centre terror attack where disorientating flashes, echoing thuds, and rotating glowing table lids created a visual cacophony, mirroring the on-stage terror. Another was used to express Callum’s trauma and frustration, angry poems and thrown chairs accompanied by flashing lights and flickering visual expressions. However, the most chilling image of the evening was the tall staircase and hauntingly-lit noose. 

Noughts and Crosses is a tad on the nose, nevertheless it’s a poignant and engaging inspection of social hierarchies, made even more accessible through Sabrina Mahfouz’s fast-paced adaptation. The abstract visuals and chemistry-filled performances make for a gripping theatrical spectacle. More significantly, it instigates discussions that are as important in today’s uneasy social climate as they were in 2001. 

Noughts & Crosses runs at Lowry (Quays Theatre) until April 25 and tours the UK until May 23.