Where racism and sexism are rife
Boardroom dramas are hugely popular mainstays in film and TV; HBO’s Succession proved that the thirst for newsroom drama is still plentiful, writes Christopher Peacock…
Farine Clarke’s London Zoo, set in a fictional boardroom of a national newspaper, was winner of Best Production and Best Ensemble Acting at the London Pub Theatre Awards.
Sell-out runs confirmed that theatre can also get a slice of the interest too, hence London Zoo returning to the stage with most of the original ensemble returning to their roles.
The show opens with the winds of change blowing through the boardroom at the dawn of the millennium at this London newspaper.
Looking to acquire a new title to add to their empire, board members Charles and Arabella are trying to work out if the numbers add up and if this acquisition will be possible. Under pressure from fellow directors, Christian and Alex, all look to seek approval from CEO, Sunil.
Meeting with Kelvin, the owner of the other paper, things prove rather tense. Neither party is willing to give much away, which culminates in a showdown that leaves scars.
What we see in all the arguments is the exposure of prejudices, and that racism and sexism are rife.
In Clarke’s writing they show how these can be deep-seated and also naively ignorant.
The strongest of the performances come from Natalie Lauren as Arabella and Odimegwu Okoye as Kelvin. Both have presence and a natural confidence that grounds their characters, even when the direction leads to odd moments of posturing.
Where London Zoo falls flat is the script’s lack of detail. Constant mentions of ‘numbers’ are meaningless and lost in the noise when stakes are not fully revealed. This leads to a lack of jeopardy, so when the play wants to ramp up the tension you feel unattached to the action.
The small scale production is assisted kindly with Chuma Emembolu’s simple lighting design but there is certainly a lot more that could be done with the show.
It needs to either tighten up, so the pace is rapid and scene changes reduced to the essential, or it needs bulking out with more detail and precision in the writing to create a fuller show.
There is certainly space in the theatre landscape for this kind of work because the exploration of themes from the corruption of power, workplace politics and prejudices will always hold weight.
Southwark Playhouse, 77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD until Tuesday 30th March 2024. Times: Mon – Sat 8pm
Admission: £25, £26, £16.
Booking: www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk – 0207 407 0234
