Review: 'To Kill A Mockingbird'

 by Lorcan Bonser-Wilton

Disclaimer: there are discussions of sexual assault in this review.

They are not graphic but I would just like to warn anyone who it might trigger in any way. 

As one of the many ways I treated myself after mocks (some would argue I probably overdid it!), I headed up to London to see Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of the universally acclaimed novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. Written by Harper Lee in 1960, it is set in Depression-era Alabama and tells the story of how white lawyer Atticus Finch attempts to defend innocent African-American man Tom Robinson, who is falsely accused of raping a white woman. The story deals with the theme of deep-rooted racism and prejudice in Jim Crow-era America. Like the book, the play is seen through the eyes of Atticus’ daughter Scout, who is intelligent but innocent, and the story depicts her awakening to the racism that is rooted within the society she lives in. Whilst Sorkin’s adaption of the novem has been controversial (to the point where he was sued by the Lee estate), to me his adaption enriched the source material, as it questions the completely moral and forgiving-of-prejudice outlook that Atticus is given, as well as directly confronting Atticus’ white saviour complex. This was incredibly interesting for me, as it allowed me to see his character in a different light, but he was still emphatically the literary hero that inspired me in the book.

The staging of the play is incredibly effective. One element I loved and found so intriguing was how, for the large majority of the play, the ensemble watched the action play out on opposite benches, which represented the segregated viewing galleries of Maycomb’s court. All of the African American characters sat on the bench on stage left, and all of the white ones sat opposite. In my opinion, this represented more than setting. It effectively drove home the racial divides that split much of America for around a century. What was even more striking was the differing reactions to various events, and the clear contrast in the points of view of the two groups on the trial. I loved the live musicians on the edge of the stage, with an African American guitarist and a white organ player. This reinforced the divides between the two groups, but also provided superb background music for the play. I was not expecting the set to be so superb. There were a number of mechanised flats that slotted together to create a dynamic range of settings, from the Finch front porch to the Maycomb county jail (which is the setting for the dramatic end to the first act). Finally, there were many items of furniture that created a courtroom across the stage, a rather consistent setting.

The individual performances were incredibly strong throughout the cast. Whilst disappointed that I did not manage to see Rafe Spall play Atticus Finch, I was excited to see Matthew Modine, after loving his performance in Stranger Things. I think that Modine was the best individual performance I have seen in a show, aside from Mark Rylance in Jerusalem of course! Modine commanded the stage with ultimate power, with his character’s famed speech concerning a certain mockingbird almost bringing me to tears. He put clear intention and strength into his performance, and I loved the integrity that he leant to Atticus’ character. Scout Finch was played by Anna Munden. Her character (much like the book) served as an honest narrator, provided an alternative point of view on events and was undeniably likeable from her opening scene. Her brother, Jem (played by Sam Mitchell) was also a good narrator, as well as convincingly protective of Scout. Their friend Dill, played brilliantly by Ellis Howard, gave an uproariously funny performance and was an excellent source of comic relief, to the point where he had the whole audience laughing for minutes on end! Another funny character was surprisingly Judge Taylor, played by Niall Buggy. He commanded the stage easily, but was also caustic and humorous when his character saw idiocy or hypocrisy, which was often appreciated in the midst of serious and tense moments. The role of Calpurnia (Atticus’ African American housekeeper who was played excellently by Cecelia Noble) was greatly increased in size by Sorkin, which I really liked as it gave a stronger alternative voice. She was powerful vocally and defiant, and the upsizing of her part also allowed us a different view of the events of the play that was greatly interesting. Another character who found themselves with a bigger part was the father of the accuser, Mr Robert E. Lee Ewell (better known as Bob Ewell). I was slightly perturbed finding out his full name, to say the least. Jason Hughes portrayed Ewell incredibly, to the point where I don’t think I have hated a character on stage more (well, possibly the Trunchbull in Matilda at age 8!). Ewell had a threatening and menacing presence on stage, and Hughes acted this detestable man with great strength and vigour. The accused Tom Robinson (played by Jude Owusu) was not given much to say, reflecting the prejudice against him in the trial, however his acting and reactions were honest, raw and important for our understanding. 

I hugely enjoyed this play, and it really did enrich my enjoyment of a book I already love. I urge anyone who likes the book, or just likes high-quality theatre, to go before it closes in May.