Red Bus Londinium Life

I enjoyed my outing to Black Superhero at the Royal Court today and it proved the kind of play that makes one want to talk to those around in the interval – much that resonates and much to chew over.

The core group of performing friends in this play (some have made it big, some haven’t) rings very true and the depth of their relationships is very believable.

Lewis Brown, now standing in for Danny Lee Wyntner as David, captures the confusion of the friend who is left behind. I have seen some reviewers call the play confusing, but I feel it was not the play that was confused, but David. The fantasy scenes (where he imagines King’s alter-ego super hero Craw as his knight in shining armour) blur for him with his reality, where he sees his rich and successful friend King as the same.

He is ultimately self-destructive as he holds those who love him to a higher account than they themselves are striving to achieve.

The satirisation of white liberal Steven from Ealing is exquisitely accurate.

The staging is sparse but creative with good use of shapes and lighting.