Noughts & Crosses

Malorie Blackman's seminal teenage novel, Noughts and Crosses, opened at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre with a youthful energy both on stage and in the open-air auditorium. On yet another balmy London evening, dusk descends and we are plunged into Blackman's stark dystopian vision – a world fractured by racial segregation and state brutality, where the lives of two star-crossed lovers are tragically entwined.

First published in 2000, Blackman's prescient work, reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, found its initial theatrical voice in Dominic Cooke's notable adaptation for the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2007. Now, under the direction of Tinuke Craig, the production makes its debut at this magical venue. Framed by mature trees, the harsh grey scaffolding of the set looms ominously over the lives of the Noughts and Crosses as the light fades and the wind rustles through the leaves, adding an almost cinematic dimension to the unfolding bleakness of the drama.

Craig's direction is fast-paced and bold, illuminated by a series of robust performances. While it may lack subtlety or theatrical surprises, it never bores, proving well-suited to its target teenage and young adult audience. Corinna Brown's portrayal of Persephone 'Sephy' Hadley, an upper-class Cross, is exuberant and likeable and her Nought boyfriend, Callum (played by Noah Valentine), successfully travels from innocent child to desperate kidnapper before tragically re-connecting with his true love.

The play unflinchingly exposes the dysfunction within both families: the privilege of the Crosses offers no shield from alcoholism and divorce, whilst the Noughts are torn apart through death, suicide, and the brutal realities of state or terrorist violence, dying or being killed in increasingly terrible ways. The production’s bold approach delves directly though not too deeply into emergent teenage sexuality, the pervasive shadow of violence, the quiet despair of alcoholism, the tragedy of death by suicide and capital punishment, extending well beyond its central focus on racism.

The enduring power of Noughts and Crosses lies in its radical ability to reverse conventional racial dynamics, thereby forcing a visceral re-evaluation of ingrained prejudices. This consistent theatrical exploration of Blackman's world merely underscores its enduring relevance and its profound capacity to resonate with audiences, many of whom wouldn’t otherwise have made the journey to this beautiful London theatre.


Picture credit: Manuel Harlan