…in Male Dungeon Number 5 After a Long But Generally Successful Day of Tours
Yes that’s the whole title. And the mouthful of a title hints at the darkly serious yet funny play that marks the debut of Rhianna Ilube at The Yard Theatre. The play tells the story of a tour guide, Samuel, and his colleague, Orange, and the cast of individuals who come to take a tour of the Castle in Ghana where humans were held as captives before being shipped to North America as slaves. It tells us a story of modern times reckoning with the long reach of colonialism in a deeply insufficient way. It tells us a story of contemporary humans grappling with the depths of the distant, and not-so-distant past.
The cast is rounded out by two actors who play all of the couples making the visit; all 4 are directed superbly by Anthony Simpson-Pike, who creates a physical and intentional space which allows the audience to be taken in and not question the jumps in space, time, and reality. All 4 actors are equally exceptional, and the production as a whole was thoughtful, yet felt dangerous and at the edge of acceptability.
An absolutely incredible play, production, and set of performances. One can only hope for a remount.