Theatre Review - Slave Play
Olivia Washington and Kit Harington in Slave Play [Helen Murray]
JEREMY O’Harris’s ground-breaking play about race, identity and sexuality in 21st-century America is deliberately provocative. It pulls the rug from under our feet a few times, and challenges and entertains in equal measure.
Slave Play explores the trauma and legacy of slavery and colonialism through the lens of erotic desire.
The play opens with three sexual encounters on an antebellum plantation. The first is between a white overseer, Jim (Kit Harington), and a black servant Kaneisha (Olivia Washington), who he forces to eat melon off the floor.
The second involves a domineering white mistress Alana (Annie McNamara) instructing her mixed-race valet Phillip (Aaron Heffernan). In the final scene, roles are reversed with Gary (Fisayo Akinade), a black overseer, lording it over a white indentured slave, Dustin (James Cusati-Moyer), who licks his boots.
The long second act explains these scenarios – three modern couples are on a retreat for “antebellum sexual performance therapy” and have just indulged in an elaborate role play.
The session that follows allows them to articulate their wants and needs and dissect the reasons behind their sexual dysfunction.
The group therapy is led by Tea (Chalia La Tour) and Patrica (Irene Sofia Lucio) and, despite the difficult subject, O’ Harris combines humour and pathos to great effect.
Slave Play will prove uncomfortable viewing for some, with a shock value similar to that of Mark Ravenhill’s Shopping and F***ing and Sarah Kane’s plays, but this is a seminal work that deserves to be seen by a wide audience.
Robert O’Hara’s compelling production asks a lot of the actors, all of whom rise to the challenge with impressive focus and passion. Slave Play lingers with you and I suspect its themes will provide talking points for weeks afterwards.
Recommended, but not for the faint hearted. Suitable for age 16+.
Originally published by Westminster Extra
Until September 21