Noughts & Crosses review – Malorie Blackman’s thought experiment confronts the audience anew

Regent’s Park Open Air theatre, LondonCallum and Sephy are a modern Romeo and Juliet, forced to grow up fast as they wade through the crushing racial and class structures that pin them in their opposing places‘Do you ever wonder what it would be like if our positions were reversed?” Callum asks his prison guard. “If we whites were in charge instead of you Crosses?” Malorie Blackman’s seminal 2001 novel flipped racism on its head. Bringing the story for young adults to life on stage, Tinuke Craig’s zippy, large-scale production confronts the audience anew.This modern Romeo and Juliet remains one of the most striking tales written for teenagers. The production is well suited for schools, giving young people the language and imagery to talk about racism here and now. But adapted by Dominic Cooke in 2007 for the RSC, the choppy script favours faithfulness to the book over inventiveness in exploring its new form. Continue reading...

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Noughts & Crosses at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre: depressingly relevant

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