The Fear of 13, Donmar Warehouse Review
Reviewed by Roni for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Nick Yarris is a 63 year old man from Philadelphia, who was just 21 when he was sentenced to death in 1982 for the murder of Linda Mae Craig – a murder he did not commit. Yarris would spend 22 years on death row before DNA testing would exonerate him, leading to his release in 2004. The Fear of 13, David Singtons’ documentary about Yarris’ plight, was released in 2015 and is the basis for a new stage play written by Lindsey Ferrentino currently premiering at Donmar Warehouse. Starring Academy Award winner Adrien Brody, the run has sold out before it even opened. Is this the hit it was apparently destined to be?
The play meets Yarris roughly halfway through his incarceration, where he and his fellow inmates are introduced to a PHD student writer named Jackie, who is hoping to learn more about the lives of death row inmates. Before long, she and Yarris have formed more of a bond than the others, as she becomes fascinated with his tales of his youth, his infamous month long absconding during a routine transfer, and the events that lead to his conviction. Jackie soon realises that there was never any solid evidence to convict Nick, and helps him to begin the long process of fighting for DNA testing to exonerate him, even marrying him to speed up the process. Whilst their attempts fail, and Nick even writes to the judge to request his execution, the authorities realise their mistake, issuing the order for testing to take place.
What the Donmar does best is a stripped back set, allowing for both physical and psychological introspection – there is nowhere to look except at the matter at hand. This is one series of events, however, that requires no removal of distractions. From beginning to end, the audience are utterly engrossed in the story. The characterisation written by Ferrentino (and of course brought to live by Brody) is nothing short of perfect – powerful enough to effectively capture us and bring us in to the events, yet providing an awkward humility that is just so real. It is impossible to not be swept up in Nick’s story, and by the fourth quarter of the production, most of the audience are in tears.
Adrien Brody is absolutely on top form here, delivering the most exquisite and heartbreaking performance with a quiet nuance he has become known for in Hollywood. It’s clear to see that he has been touched by Nick’s story as he strives to do Yarris the justice he was so long denied, and it’s fair to say he succeeds. He has us laughing, crying tears of both joy and despair, as well as gasping in abject horror. His pairing with Nana Mensah as Jackie is the most magnificent casting – the development of their relationship feels so incredibly authentic that we root for them almost as much as we do for Nick’s freedom. Mensah portrays the journey from nervous naivety to fierce determination to broken in spirit with prowess, and very much holds her own on stage with a seasoned actor. The rest of the small cast double up on roles, provide the most tear-jerking vocals, and generally carry the story with the gravity it calls for. Each hits the nail on the head every time.
In truth, this production is nothing short of beautiful. The importance of ensuring they tell Nick’s story correctly is clearly at the forefront of everyone’s minds, and they’ve managed to pull off just that, complete with just the right amounts of humour and sorrow. This is theatre at its’ finest – all encompassing in the most exquisite sense. If you’ve been lucky enough to catch a ticket, prepare to be absolutely blown away.
At Donmar Warehouse until 30 November 2024.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
