Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman
Noughts and Crosses, an award-winning novel by Malorie Blackman, has been adapted for the theatre and is being staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford upon Avon at the Civic Hall until 2nd February (RSC details) and then on a national tour.
The only non-stupid and non-racist review I could find was in the Telegraph (the Guardian was clueless and the Independent was, imo, racist).
Expect a seasonal shock at the RSC, says Uchenna Izundu (from Telegraph online).
Terrorism, murder, greed, interracial love and family hostility - and the sight of an educated and elite black ruling class oppressing a white minority with daily humiliating injustices.
[...]
The show follows the fortunes of Callum, the son of a dangerous Nought agitator and Sephy, a powerful Cross and daughter of the Prime Minister. Their love shakes family loyalties and ignites a growing political crisis.
[...]
"The story came at a time in my life when I felt I had a lot of things to say. There were certain assumptions made about people because of their colour and prejudice in Britain," says Blackman, who was born to Barbadian parents and raised in Clapham.
Originally she wanted to write about racism and slavery but her friends' cool reactions to that proposal quickly dissuaded her; they felt the issue was too predictable and painful.
"I decided to turn things around and challenge myself to conceive a racial reversal of the situation we're in today. I hoped that people would read it and be surprised by things."
Although now artistic director of the Royal Court, Cooke has a strong pedigree in creating memorable shows for young people - he was responsible for the hugely successful adaptation of Arabian Nights at the Young Vic in 1998. He knew from the first 15 pages of Blackman's novel that he wanted to adapt it.
"It shed light on everyday experiences of racism," he says, adding that he invited black actors within the RSC to share their stories and direct scenes. White members of the cast were shocked by what they heard but the object was not, he stresses, to make them feel guilty.
The hope, both explain, is to go beyond simple judgments about those who enjoy the benefits of a privileged system at the expense of oppressing others.
[...]
"I wanted people to understand what drives Callum to become a terrorist. With the book I was trying to say: this is what happens when you judge people and treat them in a certain way - ignorance of other cultures, races, and religion breeds fear. These are issues that young people can know about in real-life and face in fiction. I didn't feel that I had to water it down or censor it."
[...]
(The full text of the review is also archived at my journal in case it disappears from the Telegraph website.)
The only non-stupid and non-racist review I could find was in the Telegraph (the Guardian was clueless and the Independent was, imo, racist).
Expect a seasonal shock at the RSC, says Uchenna Izundu (from Telegraph online).
Terrorism, murder, greed, interracial love and family hostility - and the sight of an educated and elite black ruling class oppressing a white minority with daily humiliating injustices.
[...]
The show follows the fortunes of Callum, the son of a dangerous Nought agitator and Sephy, a powerful Cross and daughter of the Prime Minister. Their love shakes family loyalties and ignites a growing political crisis.
[...]
"The story came at a time in my life when I felt I had a lot of things to say. There were certain assumptions made about people because of their colour and prejudice in Britain," says Blackman, who was born to Barbadian parents and raised in Clapham.
Originally she wanted to write about racism and slavery but her friends' cool reactions to that proposal quickly dissuaded her; they felt the issue was too predictable and painful.
"I decided to turn things around and challenge myself to conceive a racial reversal of the situation we're in today. I hoped that people would read it and be surprised by things."
Although now artistic director of the Royal Court, Cooke has a strong pedigree in creating memorable shows for young people - he was responsible for the hugely successful adaptation of Arabian Nights at the Young Vic in 1998. He knew from the first 15 pages of Blackman's novel that he wanted to adapt it.
"It shed light on everyday experiences of racism," he says, adding that he invited black actors within the RSC to share their stories and direct scenes. White members of the cast were shocked by what they heard but the object was not, he stresses, to make them feel guilty.
The hope, both explain, is to go beyond simple judgments about those who enjoy the benefits of a privileged system at the expense of oppressing others.
[...]
"I wanted people to understand what drives Callum to become a terrorist. With the book I was trying to say: this is what happens when you judge people and treat them in a certain way - ignorance of other cultures, races, and religion breeds fear. These are issues that young people can know about in real-life and face in fiction. I didn't feel that I had to water it down or censor it."
[...]
(The full text of the review is also archived at my journal in case it disappears from the Telegraph website.)