Pigeon English

A raw and striking look at human relationships and how our environment affects our behaviour, Pigeon English hits a powerful chord.

★★★★
theatre review (edinburgh) | Read in About 2 minutes
33329 large
39658 original
Published 14 Aug 2013

Harri (David C Johnson) is a sweet and innocent boy with a smile to melt the hardest of hearts. Along with his mother and teenage sister, he has recently moved from Ghana to a Peckham estate; a place which chews up and spits out naivety for the fun of it. He is hunting a murderer. What begins as a harmless game, however, quickly becomes an initiation into a dark and infected world of crime and peer pressure.

Despite being a fairly overpopulated theatrical concept, Pigeon English sets itself apart with its honesty and intensity. Successfully avoiding all the clichés and stereotypes that burden typical depictions of “youth culture" allows for a seamless and faultless set of performances; the grit, bravado and audacity of each character contributing to a powerful examination of teenage fragility.

The poetic dialogue and fluidity across the piece is pushed further by the cast’s sporadic use of music; creating an affecting sense of environment, as noise, rhythm and sound punctuate each poignant moment perfectly. 

The majority of the show’s success, however, is due to Johnson, who is a heartbreaking talent, holding the performance together with grace and charisma. We become instantly invested in his optimism and fight for survival in a hostile, unforgiving world.

This is not a forced or patronising attempt at social commentary, it is a raw and striking look at human relationships and how our environment affects our behaviour. It hits a powerful chord.