Noughts And Crosses, the stage adaptation of the powerful and expansive novel by Malorie Blackman, is on the road once more. This month it comes to Brighton.
Originally published in 2001, the story continues to resonate and has been adapted across a variety of mediums over the years; two theatre plays, a radio play and even a series for the BBC. “I feel very fortunate because I’ve been included in all of the different iterations,” says Blackman. “Each iteration has been different – as it should be, because [an adaptation] can’t just be the book, and nor should it try to be the book.”
This latest iteration, helmed by director Esther Richardson and adapted by Sabrina Mahfouz, is produced and honed by the creative minds at Pilot Theatre, an exciting and ambitious theatre company that clearly see the role of the arts as and within activism. Their production of Noughts And Crosses previously won the Excellence in Touring Award at 2019’s UK Theatre Awards and was described by The Guardian as a “dynamic, powerful, compelling show whatever your age”. It’s now making a well earned return to the touring circuit, visiting venues across the country, from York to Exeter, Liverpool to Brighton.
The company’s ethos, as presented on their website, is to “create a cultural space where young adults can encounter, express, and interrogate big ideas that are relevant to our lives right now.” Noughts And Crosses would seem to be the perfect vehicle to capture that drive. The story is set in an alternative reality in which white-skinned people, the Noughts, and dark-skinned people, the Crosses, are segregated, with the Crosses holding more power within society. The book and production addresses themes and issues that are sadly still relevant to this day.
“It was a book I was compelled to write,” Blackman notes. “It was my 50th book and I wanted to address racism and its legacy directly. I was also inspired by the Stephen Lawrence case. I was appalled by the way the Lawrence family had been treated, especially by the police, and I wanted to write something about what it’s like to be judged based on the colour of your skin.”
The novel is not afraid to lead where other authors of young adult literature may even fear to tread. But it has been praised for its deftness and care in doing so; it does not patronise its audience and it does not preach. It handles its subject matter with sensitivity and encourages further exploration of the issues it shines a light on. Within its fraught political context ultimately sits a love story, apparently inspired by Romeo And Juliet.
This personal-within-the-political angle is perhaps what ensures the story’s enduring appeal and its continual selection for adaptation. “It speaks to where we are now,” says the author. “It was very important for me to say that sometimes love isn’t enough – but, at the same time, we always have hope. Hope for the next generation.” A generation, we suspect, that is eager and ready to rediscover this timely and timeless story.
And what did we think?
Noughts and Crosses proved itself an unflinching examination of the hold of the political over the personal with Pilot Theatre remaining faithful to the source text, lifting Blackman’s novel to the stage in vivid and absorbing detail. Effie Ansah and James Arden were both fantastic as the star-crossed Sephy and Callum in a well-worked production that refuses to pull its punches. An enjoyable, and important, watch for audiences of all ages.
Theatre Royal Brighton, Tuesday 21st February – Saturday 25th February 2023
For tickets and further information click here
Photo by Robert Day
