19 – 23 March
Onjali Rauf’s debut novel, published in 2018, is an award-winning and heartwarming tale of friendship. It explores the increasingly prescient and pressing theme of the refugee crisis, seen through the eyes of a nine year-old narrator, Alexa, who is herself still coming to terms with the death of her father some years before. Given the huge popularity of the novel, it is perhaps no surprise that the Children’s Theatre Partnership, in collaboration with Rose Theatre, have elected to transfer it to the stage, following their previous successful adaptations of celebrated children’s books such as “Holes”, “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” and “The Jungle Book”. And as with all their previous productions seen by this reviewer, it is a convincing transition from page to stage.
The story, cleverly adapted by Nick Ahad under the direction of Monique Touko, centres on Alexa (the impressive and engaging Sasha Desouza-Willock) and her close-knit group of friends – Michael, Josie and Tom (played with energy and enthusiasm by Abdul-Malik Janneh, Petra Joan-Athene and Gordon Millar respectively) – who are joined by a new arrival at the back of their Year 5 class: Ahmet, a refugee who has fled war in Syria with his family, all of whom are now missing. As their friendships develop, Alexa discovers the painful truth about Ahmet’s background, and goes to extraordinary lengths to reunite him with his family.
This is a talented ensemble cast of young adults who successfully pull off the difficult trick of convincingly playing a group of nine year-olds, accurately capturing their language and mannerisms, but also their innocence and naïveté. Most of the cast show admirable versatility in playing multiple roles, with Zoe Zak particularly effective as she switches between five different characters. The play juxtaposes the exuberance and innocence of childhood with a more poignant glimpse into the harsh realities of adult life beyond the school gates. Rauf’s novel, and this production too, challenges society’s prejudices and intolerance towards refugees through the odious bully Brendan, as well as the morally reprehensible and anachronistic teacher Mr Irons, but does so in a way which is appropriate for a school-aged audience, which this show clearly targets. And yet adults will find plenty to admire in this production too, not least because the play pointedly touches on contemporary political concerns: Sunak’s “Stop the Boats” rhetoric is cleverly and deliberately referenced here.
Technically, the production makes effective use of a versatile multi-purpose stage set, with a school gym climbing frame imaginatively reconfigured by designer Lily Arnold to suggest a variety of the novel’s settings. A single piece of blue fabric is used to impressive effect in the opening of both acts, cleverly conveying Ahmet’s perilous journey, so often played out these days in countless news reports where boatloads of doomed and desperate refugees have become mere statistics. There are some slick and well-choreographed dance and movement routines too, and the whole production is full of the exuberance and energy which have become the CTP’s hallmarks.
Ultimately this is a touching story about friendship, loss and kindness in a post-Brexit world which feels increasingly hostile; a story which celebrates our differences as strengths rather than weaknesses; a story in which voiceless refugees are finally given a voice; a story which illustrates, as Touko suggests, how “humanity can go a very long way”. It is a story for our times, and one we should all watch.
★★★★☆ Tony Clarke 20 March 2024
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan
