Review: My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored

An ugly incident at middle-class Britain’s favourite retailer kicks off this beautifully performed two-hander. Reece (Jelani D’Aguilar), a nervy Black teen, is roughed up by police for no apparent reason outside M&S while his prissy teacher Gillian (Misha Duncan-Barry), who’s also Black, watches on, ignoring his pleas for help. Understandably, the lad feels betrayed, and the following day he locks them both in a classroom to get answers. Reece soon has his elder on the back foot, throwing around insults that question her Black identity and irritating her with his repeated use of the n-word. Gillian, despite her seniority, is not above her own cheap shots (mocking his stature, questioning his sexuality). Their exchanges become more revealing – and the play more compelling – when they slip into various role-playing scenarios and eventually start inhabiting each other’s shoes.

Nana-Kofi Kufuor’s script is breakneck, but the fizzy pace can’t distract from its convoluted setup, clearly designed to force these warring characters together. You might find yourself asking, why doesn’t Gillian just shout through the door for assistance? Or crucially, why don’t these characters address each other like student and pupil?

The raw performances are undeniably powerful, though. Particularly compelling is D’Aguilar, a livewire who can change from intimidating thug to vulnerable boy on a dime. The characters' punchy back and forths are a bit like watching two pugilists, both of whom you want to win. But as the play’s nihilistic final moments suggest, we live in a society where neither can.