Visually it is dazzling, but Noughts & Crosses Wilts under the weight of his YA source material

Introduction to Noughts & Crosses

In the staging of Noughts & Crosses at Regent’s Park Open Air Theater, there is an undeniable synergy. Malorie Blackman’s young adult novel (published in 2001) of forbidden love and systemic racism takes place under an amber summer sky that gradually darkens as the story becomes more desolate, brutal, and warning.

The Plot Unfolds

The plot takes place in a dystopian world shared by two breeds, where dark-skinned Crosses dominate over light-skinned Noughts. The story follows the wealthy Cross Sephy (Corinna Brown) and the Nought Callum (Noah Valentine), whose forbidden friendship and ultimately ascending love affair sparks terror and social upheaval within their families and society. They navigate betrayal, heartache, and the hard truths of a separate society.

Bringing the Story to Life

In her park debut, director Tinuke Craig utilizes the tools at her disposal in such an iconic space. Copper light transmits across the stage, with the friendly approval of Sun and Colin Richmond’s sunk bronze set, which evokes the brutalist decay of a once difficult industrial complex now crumbling under its own putrefaction. Ladders, sidewalks, and stairs cut the stage into strong and dangerous zones, while an ubiquitous ensemble dives over the campaign, part of the Greek choir, part of Orwellian thinking police.

Visual and Audio Elements

It is noticeable visually, with Joshua Pharo’s lighting vivified with Max Pappenheim’s immersive sound landscape to summon a terrifying atmosphere of surveillance. The electronic score of DJ Walde gives the production a cinematic sweep. Despite all its flair, this production struggles to overcome the limits of such an ambitious adaptation.

Challenges in Adaptation

The script feels constrained by its starting material, which is reached in relentless pace at points of action, often in a blunt and stubborn way. The topics are presented with the entire subtlety of a Tannoy announcement, and characters can rarely develop the space before the next crisis. As a result, many of their decisions feel rather confusing than tragic, which removes the emotional response that made Blackman’s novel so powerful and made the audience emotionally changeable.

Cast Performance

Noah Valentine is the clear outstanding performer, bringing a reserved sincerity to his portrayal of Callum. Corinna Brown has a lot of energy and conviction as Sephy, but sometimes the character feels flattened into an irritated teenager. The tonal shifts of the script require a skillful hand that is missing in this production, whereby the scenes sometimes fall into the territory of the soap opera.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the production has a lot of heart, but feels a little out of its depth. The central relationship has its charm – especially in the lighter, more playful moments that are worked out and loved in the books. Noughts & Crosses is playing at Regent’s Park Open Air Theater until July 26th.