Review: To Kill a Mockingbird Leeds Playhouse
Harper Lee’s seminal novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, which addresses racial injustice in 1930s Alabama, remains as popular today as it was when first published in 1960.
The book has long been a staple of school curricula, was adapted into a critically acclaimed film featuring Gregory Peck in 1962, and has inspired numerous stage adaptations.
You might think there is little left to say about this classic work. However, Aaron Sorkin’s new play is a masterpiece. The story follows a black man accused of raping a 19-year-old white girl and is both heartbreaking and horrifying.
Under the direction of Bartlett Sher, the play opens with the trial of Tom Robinson (played by Aaron Shosanya). The events leading to his court appearance are told through a series of flashbacks. A complex set is rearranged by the cast as the narrative shifts between the courtroom and the Finch front porch.
The story is primarily seen through the eyes of Scout Finch (Anna Munden), her brother Jem (Gabriel Scott), and their new friend Dill Harris (Dylan Malyn – in his first professional role).
All three actors deliver exceptional performances, and their dynamic works well together. Jem, on the brink of manhood, seeks to push boundaries while maintaining respect for his father’s authority, although he occasionally disagrees with him.
Richard Coyle gives a commanding performance as Atticus Finch, showcasing his affectionate relationship with his children and their family maid, Calpurnia. The interplay between the vicious drunk Bob Ewell (Oscar Pearce) and his abused daughter Mayella (Evie Hargreaves) is central to the narrative. Although Mayella fails to stand up for Tom when it counts, she elicits pity rather than condemnation.
As the story unfolds, the children learn important lessons about empathy, the cruelty of neighbours, and the injustices present in a world they have largely been shielded from.
Although Boo Radley’s role is hinted at throughout the play, he does not appear until near the end, when his involvement in the events surrounding Jem and Scout’s attack is revealed.
To Kill A Mockingbird is at The Leeds Playhouse until Saturday October 4.
Tickets and more information at www.leedsplayhouse.org.uk/