Review of ‘Death of England: Closing Time’: “Playing to a lower beat, but still palpitating”

Clint Dyers and Roy Williams’s three-part social commentary reaches its final stop, with the West End transfer of this last instalment starring Erin Doherty and Sharon Duncan-Brewster. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show, to let us know if this critical observation on the national mindset flaunts more red than white in its flag.

Someday, you’ll find yourself caught in someone else’s reality – and then, you’ll understand. In a time when polarization has become the sword and shield for every corner of the political spectrum, stories dealing with the clash of cultures and the hostility it unfolds serve as a cracked but accurate mirror of the corruption of a modern society – overlooking the fact, however,  that it’s only in our human nature to stoop to our primal instincts when we don’t (or choose not to) understand the complexities of what surround us.

Clint Dyer and Roy Williams’s trilogy’s latest instalment takes that principle as its core theme. Serving as the conclusion for its 300-minute observation on the ragged fabric of our community, the piece evolves from its predecessors’ monologic framing to a two-hander structure – in which wife and mother-in-law (or “in-sin”, as their unwedded guilt makes them call it) reflect about the differences of their backgrounds as white and black people, now destined to converge as they become members of the same family.

Presenting what’s basically the same premise as Part I and II, but looked into through another set of lenses, the piece keeps a similar resonance as its elder brothers, but struggles to show the same maturity at some points. Though still compelling and, in general, engaging, there’s also a subtle vibe of discomformity when it comes to the plot’s pacing – sometimes, intensely gripping, but also unpolished and excessively static at others.

Pondering all of its topics with emotional prowess and a pungent undertone, the writing exudes enough pathos to make the audience fall for its characters. Yet, one can’t help but sensing, at some moments, a disproportionate effort to pull from the heart’s strings – trying too hard to move instead of allowing its own flow to do it organically. A similar problem concerns part of its humour, which, though usually amusing, is also a little too predictable on several occasions.

However, despite how considerably correcting those flaws would help improve the plot’s effectiveness, the ultimate vibe all throughout  is still of a well-concocted and, on the whole, rather appealing narration. As much as the writing contributes considerably to its accomplishment, it’s actually the performance itself that elevates the whole material – both from an acting and creative perspective.

Brilliantly directed by Dyer (once again, boasting superb blocking, as well as a good dose of originality in his staging), both Erin Doherty and Sharon Duncan-Brewster’s renditions pose as one of the key elements for the piece’s success. Boasting tremendous stamina and ease in their delivery (but most importantly, a huge deal of rapport towards each other), it’s Doherty’s portrayal that becomes the grand winner of the night, flaunting marvelous naturalness as well as absolute mimetism with her personage.

Conveying an extra layer of critical thinking while deepening into the same nuclear subject, Death of England: Closing Time opens (or maybe, widens) the door for an intellectually stimulating ride. Yet, it misses the subtlety of its precursors by falling quite a few times into the moral vice of preachment. With some tweaks still perching in their to-do list, it’s just a bit of cutting and re-editing that’s left for the play to transition from its beaconing (and almost realised) promise to the entire brilliance it holds within. It serves, in some manner, as a conclusion for the whole narrative, but it requires some additional steps to complete its own cycle.

All pictures credit to Helen Murray.

Death of England: Closing Time plays at London’s Soho Place until 28 September. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara