Voices of Reason

 Review by: Paul Towers, 12 October 2017

Voices of Reason by Barnaby Nyombi

Directed by Barnaby Nyombi with Olivia Sikora, Rachel Johnson, Barnaby Nyombi, Alex Kynaston and Madeline Nyombi

Upstairs @ The Western, 12 October 2017

“a passionate and contemporary play.”

First off I have to say well done to this troupe for pulling together this show from first rehearsal to stage premier in a little over 2 weeks after the previously booked production pulled out 3 weeks ago.

Quoting from the programme notes “Voices of Reason is a passionate and contemporary play aiming to challenge common misconceptions and assumptions about immigration.” All very admirable but I do feel the author has taken aim at too many subjects. The segment of an elderly couple railing against ‘those immigrants’ while admitting we can’t do without them rings very true for some people.

The central lesbian love story where two people in a  relationship have different external ambitions again rings very true. As does the spoof UKIP party suddenly gaining its objectives. However, when the finale swings into action and we are taken into a dystopian world of Nazi-like oppression and underground Terminator-like resistance, it all becomes a bit over the top and unbelievable.

The cast of just five work very hard and are mostly very competent actors. The one character which was completely out of place was Esther played as a bearded lady by Alex Kynaston. What the hell was that all about?

I don’t want to be too hard on a young experimental group but I do feel the script could be tightened up and several ‘targets’ should be passed over.

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Firs published on Western Gazette
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