In the Shadow of Her Majesty, Brockley Jack Studio Theatre
Written by Penny for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Content Warning: This production contains strong language and adult themes throughout, including references to domestic abuse, violence, sexual violence, alcoholism and grooming, Suitable 15+
This new piece of writing by Lois Tallulah, who co-directs with Isla Jackson-Ritchie and also performs in the piece, is set in a house in a North London cul-de-sac directly opposite Pentonville Prison. It aims to look at the justice system through the eyes of women on the “outside”, covering challenging themes including domestic abuse, sexual violence and child grooming.
Set in the run up to Christmas in 2020, a festive season curtailed by lockdown due to the Covid pandemic, the restrictions on “normal” life echo the isolation experienced by prisoners, often stuck in their cells for 23 hours a day. Unable to visit loved ones, we can see the impact of this extreme social distancing. As the women try to live as normal a life as they can, the men in the women’s lives who are currently serving time at Her Majesty’s pleasure still impact on whatever they do – whether that’s longing for their release or dreading it, or waiting for a phone call that never comes.
We’re shown a snapshot of the lives of the women at the centre of the story. They come together in their home to support each other, drink tea or wine together or sit in front of the TV, shouting at the football and watching Eastenders. It’s all quite mundane and could easily be an episode in the soap opera that they chat about. The dialogue in Tallulah’s script is very natural and largely runs with a good pace, but at times the actors do not pick up on lines quickly enough with extended pauses that interrupt the play’s flow. Scene changes are marked with a loud urban soundtrack that effectively disrupts any idea that this is an ordinary family home.
The central characters are recognisable working-class women, although it does take a while to establish them as individuals. Playing Riley, Tallulah opens the play by breaking the fourth wall to invite the audience in to the home and the support group of wives, mothers, partners and aunties who gather there. This is very effective in getting our attention but as the play progresses, it’s more of a distraction as the sudden audience interaction does nothing to move the plot along but feels more like it could be an improvisation to cover a dropped line. This aside, Tallulah’s performance is very strong. She has great stage presence and it’s clear that the tough persona she presents is just a façade.
Although the play covers challenging and distressing subjects and a lagrge part of the dialogue is rooted in anger and confrontation, there is still plenty of humour and a strong sense of family and community. A lot of the humour comes from “Auntie” Trish, played by Jennifer Joseph. Although she has a family member that she visits in prison, she is doing well for herself with a rich boyfriend and a more comfortable life. Joseph brings great energy to the role of the fun auntie, but also delivers one of the play’s strongest moments as it reaches its climax, clearly demonstrating the strength and importance of the family that you choose, a stark contrast with those absent husbands and fathers who have failed their families.
Probably the best developed character is mother Doreen, played by Alice Selwyn. When we first meet her she’s coming home after a night out, up for another drink and looking forward to a holiday in the sun. But as the play unfolds and we learn the truth of her relationship with her incarcerated husband, her dependence on alcohol is revealed, the holiday is a pipe dream and the trauma she has experienced has left her broken. In her performance, Selwyn shows us the heartbreaking truth behind Doreen’s vulnerability and behaviour.
Playing Riley’s two siblings, there are confident and convincing performances from Nancy Brabin-Platt as Gemma and Ella Harding as Jorgia, the latter particularly impressive as the youngest sister, clearly showing her naïve faith in her father and an innocence that has led her into a dangerous situation.
The cast is completed by Nadia Lamin playing recent immigrant Jamila. Her partner is in prison for tax avoidance and despite her rather loud and vocal entrance, Lamin brings an aura of calm to the character in a contrast with the rest of the women. Welcomed into Doreen’s home, I felt this role was a little underwritten, more of a plot device to rebuild the bonds that link the rest of the women than a character with her own story to tell. I would have liked to learn more about how the separation from her partner impacted on Jamila, having to carry on without a support network around her.
In the Shadow of Her Majesty offers a different perspective on the justice system, with a hard hitting look at the effects of incarceration on the families of inmates, and it doesn’t shy away from tackling sensitive and emotive issues. It plays out without sensationalising these topics, in fact sometimes reactions to huge and traumatic experiences are a little understated and the script could probably do with some tightening in order to really heighten its impact. But with strong performances from the actors who all easily move from light-hearted banter to tense conflict, delivering well written, natural dialogue to tell their stories, it is a thought-provoking and engaging piece of theatre.
★★★
