Lightpost Theatre Company, formed to address the effects of racism, discrimination, negative self image, invisibility and mental health of young black men through theatre, brought their newest production to the REP, as the UK opens back up for such performances to be enjoyed by larger groups.
Exploring the culture of working class black men in Britain, Constructed unpicks the challenges that face manual workers, both on site and at home, and asks if anything can be built properly when the foundations are faulty.
The cast performed incredibly well, with James Nicholson as site owner Marlon, and Jerome Scott as Rodney delivering memorable performances, and Orion Martin as Bill alongside Cory McClane as Davies giving the lighter notes to the performance, which were gratefully received.
The depiction of Rodney’s current mental health with the overlapping voices, questions and lights, while he desperately tried to respond to all of it while getting more and more distressed was both difficult to watch and also incredibly powerful, props to Jerome for this performance.
The story flows well, giving you enough time to get to know and feel for the different characters, and they all feel well rounded, a tribute to CJ Webley’s writing and co-direction. There was an interesting movement piece that showed the idea of working on the building site through dance, but it felt a little shoehorned into the play, adding nothing to the overall story.
Overall Constructed was a great performance from a very talented cast, and spells great things for the future of Lightpost Theatre.
