SIXTEEN years ago Joe
Penhall's play Blue Orange was premiered at the National Theatre. It
is now being revived at the Young Vic and thanks to the brilliant
writing it feels as contemporary and fresh as ever.
It tells the story of
Christopher, (Daniel Kaluuya) a young black Londoner who has been
diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and confined to a
psychiatric ward for a month.
Desperate to get out it
is up to the two doctors to battle it out as to whether he is fit
enough to re-enter society.
Bruce (Luke Norris) is
a conscientious young doctor who feels that Christopher - who still
believes oranges are blue - needs to stay in longer so he can be
assessed and given the right support and treatment.
However, his senior
consultant Robert (David Haig) has other ideas and is determined that
Christopher be released as soon as possible. He believes Christopher
will be fine back at home in Shepherd’s Bush surrounded by the
people who are "just like him", not to mention that it will
relieve the taxpayer of financially supporting him in hospital.
It is a brilliantly
conceived play in which the issues of race, ethics, mental health,
the cash-strapped NHS and politics collide in a brutal way.
And it starts with the
audience walking through dark corridors and a clinic's waiting area
with a background noise that includes patients shouting and screaming
in order to get to the stage.
The stage itself is a
square shaped consulting room and it feels claustrophobic and
oppressive - no wonder Christopher wants out.
The three actors are
excellent with a particularly fine performance from David Haig as
Robert who veers effortlessly between patronising, racists,
scheming, pompous and bully boy tactics to get what he wants - making
sure it's him that comes up smelling of roses at the expense of his
idealistic but equally determined junior.
And it's a credit to
Daniel Kaluuya that it is never completely clear whether he should
really stay in the hospital or be released. A real stunner.
Blue Orange is on at
the Young Vic, The Cut, Waterloo, until July 2. Tickets from £10.
Visit http://www.youngvic.org/ or call the box office on 020 7922
2922.
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