Land of the free, which is written by Sebastian Armesto and Dudley Hinton and directed by Armesto, recounts the assassination of USA president Abraham Lincoln. Focused on actor John Wilkes Booth (the man who murdered President Lincoln), the play revolves around the motives of Booth, and the changing political landscape of America, all remaining relatable and as relevant as ever with current events.
The play starts fifteen years before the assassination in 1850, and focuses on John Wilkes Booth (Brandon Bassir), his siblings, Asia Booth (Sara Lessore), June Booth (Natalie Law), Edwin Booth (Dan Wolff) and father Junius Brutus Booth (Owen Oakeshott). The play follows the young Wilkes Booth as he is dismissed and downtrodden as a child, and his climb to fame and power as an actor, overshadowing his siblings and fellow actors. President Abraham Lincoln (Clara Onyemere) and his wife, Mary Lincoln (Hannah Emanuel) are also seen on their political campaign. The day of the assassination (April 14th, 1865) helps anchor the timeline of the show's events.
The first act features simultaneous plotlines of Lincoln's decisions amidst political unrest, and Booth's growing power and anger, culminating in the actual assassination. The second act, more closely dissects Booth's reasoning, the rebels, and the aftermath of the assassination.
The play's greatest strength is the way that they have framed the narrative, choosing to go back and forth in no particular order to a series of unconnected yet relevant moments that mould Booth's decision. Whilst this can be a little hard to pinpoint on the timeline, and difficult to follow if one misses the signs indicating the year, its a creative way to visualise the many smaller moments that contributed. The play takes a psychological approach, with memories being triggered by events and slow reveals of the plan, rather than a straightforward account, which helps keep the play engaging.
The writing is sharp, intelligent with the right amount of emotional drive and character led plotlines; made even better by the flawed and grey characters. The play provides context, fun facts, and information about the historical characters to ensure that audiences can understand the events without any prior knowledge of American politics.
The cast are marvellous and are strong performers. The six person cast cover a multitude of roles, and the cast's performances help quickly differentiate between the characters. Law as Booth is a steady presence, and is dazzling as Lucy. Both characters have a firm determination and patience that contributes to the authenticity of the piece, providing it with a sense of naturalism. Lessore as Asia Booth, the only sister, is a gentle and innocent character that ultimately becomes the emotional core of the play, and Lessore's portrayal brings a sense of warmth and mischief to the character. As Isabel, Lessore is sweet and earnest, but it's her role as the former slave Keckley that she shines the most in. At the heart of the play, it's Lessore's performance that really sways the play into being more than a historical recount, but an urgent and important piece of the theatre.
Oakeshott is formidable as Junius Bruton Booth, easily commanding the stage with his dramatic performance and booming voice. Onyemere as Lincoln is a pleasantly surprising casting choice, and Onyemere is more than capable in the role. Providing the necessary gravitas to deliver the presidential speeches, Onyemere also brings her own ironic and memorable undertone to the role. Wolff as Edwin Booth is a subtle but resounding role, which is well contrasted with Thomas Boston. Wolff's take on Boston has a intriguing darkness to the character that, despite the limited stage time, makes him an unforgettable character.
The stand out performer is Bassir, with his extraordinary performance as John Wilkes Booth. In a 'Disney's Flynn-Rider' characterisation, Bassir's endless charm and smug personality makes Booth a character to root for, despite the crime committed. Booth is given an agency and an urgency as a rebel, ruthlessly using, manipulating and discarding loved ones in his personal life for political gain. Bassir's passionate performance may even have the audience questioning their own beliefs and swaying slightly, especially for those who aren't too familiar with American politics. The slow growth from a downtrodden and betrayed child to a ruthless, strong and charming actor and rebel, to the final defiant cornered man, is a carefully plotted character arc that really draws audiences in, made even more exciting by Bassir's performance.
The set and costumes (Kate Bunce) are of the time period. The set has been designed to resemble a wooden traditional theatre stage, with the lights and curtains adding into this theatrical element. This is a fascinating choice, paying homage to Booth being a well known actor and the actual assassination occurring in a theatre. The sides of the set are adorned with photos or paintings of Lincoln's assassination, and the recent near miss shooting at Donald Trump, along with signs that help pinpoint the time and location of each scene. The costumes are of the time as well, and helps identify the social standing of characters through various fabrics.
The lighting (Chuma Emembolu) helps focus the story through the use of spotlights and the set's theatre lighting rig. Particularly impressive is the portrayal of the infamous gunshot that occurs both in a flash and in slow motion (accompanied by the slamming of a piano for the sound effect). The show features a few songs, including the American national anthem "Star Spangled Banner", which are beautifully sung by the cast.
The Land of the Free is an intelligent piece that buzzes with energy and life and bursts onto stage with a fascinating and dazzling fire. It is currently playing at the Southwark Playhouse Borough until 9th November. For tickets and more information, you can follow the link here.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5*)
Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | photography by KatieC
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