(no programme available)
|
|
|
Flyer (no programme available) |
The story is centered amidst the build-up to the horror of the Rwandan genocide, a period of three months in 1994 in which estimates ranging as high as one million innocent civilians were massacred.
Jack Exley is an academic writing a book on activism and the power of brave and dedicated individuals to alter world events. He is called to Rwanda by an old college friend, Joseph Gasana, a Rwandan now running a childrens HIV clinic in his nations capital city of Kigali. Taking unpaid leave from his job, Jack arrives in Kigali with his African-American wife, Linda, and son by a former marriage, Geoffrey (reunited with Jack following the recent death of his mother). Jack plans to make Joseph the centrepiece of his book, but is shocked to discover that Joseph has disappeared. Investigating his friends disappearance, Jack finds his efforts blocked at every turn by indifference, fear or hostile prejudice.
He soon finds himself out of his depth in a world he cannot comprehend, where no-one is what they seem. Tension mounts as friend becomes indistinguishable from foe and danger closes in on Jack and his wife and son from all sides. As Jack searches for his friend his moral convictions are put to the test. Can he stand firm when his own family's lives are on the line.
Much of the first act in this production is tied up in establishing the characters and building up the sense of tension of latent racial hostility, largely done through a series of conversations between the central characters. The action in the piece is reserved almost exclusively for the second act when we are also given to question the motives and understand the duplicity of some of the characters. As a counterpoint the story, the letter from Joseph inviting Jack to Rwanda is read to us by Joseph himself, a message of hope increasingly at odds with the unfolding of events.
The multi-functional set was designed primarily to reflect the Exley's temporary residence in Rwanda, with wooden slatted side walls and a narrow raised walkway round three sides. A moving light shining through the slats on the right hand wall marking the arrival of any vehicle at the Exley's residence.
As thrillers go this was not particularly thrilling, but it was thought provoking, poignant and more than a little chilling. It underlines the simple truth that all that is needed for evil to flourish is for good men to take no action. Historically, a UN peacekeeping force in Rwanda was totally impotent as the first-world countries declined to intervene.
Contains strong language, some violence and one scene of a sexually explicit nature.
Matthew Marsh led the way as the increasingly desperate Jack Exley, delivering his dialogue with (to British ears at least) a highly convincing American accent. Tanya Moodie who was last seen at the Playhouse giving a superb performance as Nora Helmer in Ibsen's 'A Dolls House, found her role here as Linda White-Keeler rather less meaty, and perhaps not fully deserving of her talents. Andrew Garfield gave us a young and naive Geoffrey Exley who was poorly equiped to deal with the situations in which he soon found himself ensnared, whilst Danny Sapani was truly creepy as the duplicitous and malefic Samuel Mizinga. Jude Akuwudike also gave an excellent performance as Joseph Gasana, a character whose altruistic motives were brought increasingly into doubt. Rounding off the cast were Nick Fletcher as Jean-Claude, William Armstrong as Charles Wolsey, Chipo Chung as Elise, Babou Ceesay as Gerard, Adura Onashile as the prostitute, and Lucian Msamati as the UN Lieutenant and others.
A chilling insight into one of the most shocking and inglorious episodes in recent World history.