THE RECKONING

Arcola Theatre

★★★★

“a beautiful tribute to the lives of Ukrainian war survivors”

Dash Arts has brought to life transcripts of Ukraine War survivors, creating a wonderful verbatim art piece that reminds us not to forget the people behind the numbers. Co-written by Anastasiia Kosodii and Josephine Burton (also director) in collaboration with The Reckoning Project and Public Interest Journalism Lab, amongst many others, it’s clear how much heart went into this play.

The show introduces us to two of the performers Simeon Kyslyi (Sam) and Olga Safronova (Olga). Both performers are from Ukraine and came to the UK after the war started. They tell us some of their story, helping contextualise the world for the audience and remind us of the war that continues on. Often, in times of tragedy, it can be easy to disassociate from feeling when not directly involved. Seeing war images on the news everyday for example; as each day goes by you skip it even quicker. Having Kyslyi and Safronova on stage not only makes the play more authentic, but it’s an effective way to allow audience members to gently step back in to that place of empathy; via that human connection. They multirole as different people throughout the show, as well as guiding the action with different forms of physical theatre choreography. There are several points in the play, where emotional tension is high that they return as themselves to speak to the audience once more. This included a lovely moment where they shared a traditional Ukrainian salad, and recalled memories of eating it as children in Ukraine.

The majority of the action is led by The Journalist (Marianne Oldham) and The Man from Stoyanka (Tom Godwin). The Journalist talks to the man through his recalling of where he was and what he did when the war started, how he was the only survivor in his town and how he was eventually mistaken for a Russian and brutally interrogated as a result. Throughout their interview, the Journalist speaks to other survivors, played by Sam and Olga who once again shine in their performances as many different characters. This included one incredibly touching story who ran from home to a train station to try and see her husband who was killed in an attack from Russia. The audience was in tears many times. There were parts where I could feel, the cast were nervous and potentially falling behind their own pace. This did not deter from the entire piece, however.

The play is well supported in the intimate staging in Studio 2 of the Arcola. You feel at home with these people. Before the play began, Sam and Olga are on stage picking up the bricks and rubble that are arranged as being fallen from the wall, until eventually they are built back up again. Two wooden triangles are used to hold up a table, that is moved for different purposes throughout the show. Final pieces of set (designed by Zoe Hurwitz) include an oven and a cupboard which held various food items used throughout the performance. The lighting (Joshua Pharo) provided clarity throughout the interview sections and then would boost the action with various shadows and colours, including a nod to the Ukrainian flag with yellow and blue spots at some points.

Overall, The Reckoning provides a beautiful tribute to the lives of Ukrainian war survivors, and reminds us why these stories need to keep being told through the use of utter respect and very strong performances.

THE RECKONING

Arcola Theatre

Reviewed on 4th June 2025

by David Robinson

Photography by Ikin Yum

THE RECKONING

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING at the Duke of York’s Theatre

★★★★

“it is the high exuberance of everyone that comes through the strongest”

The National Youth Theatre REP Company celebrates its 10th anniversary with a joyous romp through Shakespeare’s couples comedy in one of the West End’s most prestigious theatres.

Reinterpreting the text for a youthful cast and audience, in a version not ‘adapted’ according to the programme but ‘remixed’ by Debris Stevenson, the setting becomes Nowhere Island, a reality TV dating show. We get to see the players both on and off camera, on set and behind the scenes and, most engagingly, how the characters are manipulated and controlled by the TV show’s creators. There is, as appears to be the norm nowadays, a lot of additional non-Shakespearean text, including a plasma screen that rolls ‘live audience’ social media comments, but this should not upset the purist. This is a well thought through concept – ninety minutes, no interval – and it works.

Josie Daxter directs a sixteen-strong ensemble around a revolving set (Designer Zoë Hurwitz) which we witness being de-constructed at the end of the show to reveal the bare walls of the space behind. The large number of people on stage sometimes looks cluttered and their movements clumsy, but it is the high exuberance of everyone that comes through the strongest.

With a sassy rendition of Sigh No More Ladies to start things off as a theme tune to the TV show, we hear the players humming Hey Nonny Nonny even when not on camera, an earworm that they can’t shake off. This is an ensemble of good-lookers with pecs and midriffs on show. The girls pose and pout. The boys show off with testosterone-imbued hip-thrusting movements. Subtle, it ain’t. But in contrast, any personal insights into a character’s feelings are admitted privately in front of a screen in the ‘diary room’. Genius.

In Much Ado we have to rely on a strong Beatrice and Benedick and in Isolde Fenton and Daniel Cawley we are in good hands. It is an inauspicious start, however, with the early repartee between them performed in rap but things can only get better and they do. Fenton soon shines, her confident performance leading into an especially passionate display of Beatrice’s ‘O were I a man’ speech whilst Cawley’s cheeky chappie approach to Benedick is endearing and loveable.

Despite the radical re-creation of much of the play, this young cast exhibits a good feeling for the poetry – something that another large house was unable to achieve in a recent production. Hannah Zoé Ankrah as Friar, as well as Fenton and Cawley, are particularly strong in this regard.

Other special mentions go to Jessica Enemokwu as Leonato – the TV show producer – who is in full control of proceedings (ditch the megaphone though); Tomás Azócar-Nevin as Conrade, understated but just right; and Jasmine Ricketts as Don John who, after all is done, returns alone to a bare stage and exhibits a brave postlude breakdown that hints at her character’s mental illness. Finally, for one of the bravest and raunchiest staged love scenes between Borachio (Dalumuzi Moyo) and Margaret (Nathaly Sabino) I have seen – Bravo.

THE RECKONING

Arcola Theatre

★★★★

“a beautiful tribute to the lives of Ukrainian war survivors”

THE RECKONING

Arcola Theatre

Reviewed on 4th June 2025

by David Robinson

Photography by Ikin Yum

Last tens shows reviewed at this venue:

THE RECKONING

THE RECKONING

THE RECKONING

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING at the Duke of York’s Theatre

★★★★

“it is the high exuberance of everyone that comes through the strongest”

The National Youth Theatre REP Company celebrates its 10th anniversary with a joyous romp through Shakespeare’s couples comedy in one of the West End’s most prestigious theatres.

Despite the radical re-creation of much of the play, this young cast exhibits a good feeling for the poetry – something that another large house was unable to achieve in a recent production. Hannah Zoé Ankrah as Friar, as well as Fenton and Cawley, are particularly strong in this regard.

Reviewed on 8th February 2023

by Phillip Money

Photography by Helen Murray

Previously reviewed by Phillip:

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