Noughts & Crosses at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre: depressingly relevant

This striking adaptation of Malorie Blackman’s young adult novel is a Romeo and Juliet story set in a segregated 21st century Britain where black people (Crosses, or ‘daggers’) enjoy privilege and power and whites (Noughts, or ‘blankers’) are a subjugated underclass. It’s a bold and thought-provoking piece that tackles emergent teenage sexuality, violence, alcoholism and suicide as well as racism. It’s recommended for over-14s: the books and the 2020 BBC series were aimed at over-12s.

Tinuke Craig’s strident production is illuminated by strong performances, particularly from the exuberantly expressive Heartstopper star Corinna Brown as our upper-class heroine Persephone ‘Sephy’ Hadley. When characters aren’t involved in a scene they gather as sinister watchers on Colin Richmond’s starkly industrial set, enhancing the air of suspicion and menace. The background is full of shrieks and shadows. At a time when old-school prejudices are increasingly legitimised in mainstream political discourse, this interrogation of the absurdity of racism also feels timely and necessary.