For those unfamiliar with the enigmatic Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel (they must be in a minority, given its ubiquity on the syllabus of schools and colleges everywhere) or its Oscar-winning film treatment, a question may arise.
Photo © Johan Persson
How can a story about racial intolerance published in 1960 and set in the 1930s Deep South be relevant to us today? We have moved on, haven’t we?
Well, if this riveting, electric production provides one response, it is that parts of our society are still resolutely stuck in an identical mindset.
Aaron Sorkin’s captivating adaptation (yes, the creator of The West Wing and A Few Good Men) puts venomous words in the mouth of white supremacist Bob Ewell which could just as easily be snarled by more extreme members of the “stop the boats” brigade, and the arresting scene of local KKK townsfolk descending on Tom Robinson’s cell is reminiscent of the angry mobs outside hotels housing asylum seekers here in the UK. The play is both period and strikingly timeless.
Director Bartlett Sher holds a firm hand on mood and tension here, drawing out the bantering warmth of the Finch family and firmly driving the suspense of the courtroom scenes, and holds the audience silently spellbound, which is remarkable for a wordy three hour play.
Miriam Buether’s set design segues seamlessly from home to porch to courthouse, enabled by actors moving doors and furniture to create simple effective tableaux (although the cumbersome raised porch trolleys which have caused practical problems this week could have been done away with with no real loss of impact or storytelling).
All around, Buether’s imprisoning walls show decay and smashed windows, a reminder of the economic depression and the simmering violence ready to explode.
Performances are exemplary across the board, showing great focus and commitment, from the lead roles to the silent courtroom observers. Richard Coyle gives us a hesitant and pensive Atticus Finch, masking his constant fear of failure with determination and humour.
His children Jem and Scout are played by adults Gabriel Scott and Anna Munden, who fully capture the anxiety, playfulness and vulnerabilities of living in Atticus’ shadow. Their sharing of the narration is a change from the novel (in which Scout tells the tale) and successfully boosts the sense of family unity.
Aaron Shosanya’s Tom Robinson is beautifully still and resigned to his fate; Oscar Pearce gives us an oleaginous Bob Ewell, spitting his lines with ceaseless venom; and Evie Hargreaves’ Mayella switches superbly from vulnerable victim to poisonous manipulator, most strikingly in her interrogation.
But for many of us the scene-stealer of this accomplished ensemble is Dylan Malyn (astonishingly in his professional stage debut) as a clearly neurodivergent Dill, whose deep vulnerability is endlessly concealed by gawky humour, fierce loyalty and strong determination; his brimming eyes display an ocean of loneliness and fight.
This is a world-class production featuring a highly committed cast and moments of great humour, tenderness and tension.
An absolute must for fans and novices alike, and a memorable evening with the townsfolk of Maycomb Alabama – the good, the bad and the compromised. Tom Robinson may be no more, but his message lives with us today.
To Kill a Mockingbird is showing at Theatre Royal Bath until 22nd November. Box office: 01225 448844.
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Reviewer: Steve Huggins
