On Saturday night I was lucky enough to attend a preview of one of the most incredible nights in the ‘theatre’ I
have ever seen. Tree, part of the Manchester International Festival, co
created by Idris Elba and Kwame Kweih-Armah, which officially opens next week,
delivered on so many levels, and I am extremely glad I got a chance to
experience its magic.
The Festival have taken over Upper Campfield Market
in the Castlefield area of Manchester for this production, and the staging
allows for a truly immersive experience, with regular use of the audience as
part of the performance. As you enter there is a nightclub vibe, and the crowd
is encouraged to dance by the cast, stewards and incredible volunteers ( full
disclosure, I’m a proud member of the volunteer army, but I didn’t manage to
get any shifts on Tree!) . Whilst the booking process made clear it was a
standing performance, there were actually plenty of places for those less able
to stand for the whole show, and the audience are free to move around
throughout the performance.
The storyline concerns a young man, Kaelo (Alfred
Enoch), who following a family tragedy, travels
to his parents homeland, South Africa, where his spiky Grandmother played by
Sinead Cusack, still owns a farm. We follow his journey as he discovers his
family history and the events that lead to his mother leaving her home to bring
her child up in the UK. Whilst it does not gloss over the horrific treatment of
black South Africans in all too recent history, it is ultimately a tale of
family and love in all its complexity and messiness.
The set design is clever, allowing the audience to
surround the action, and sometimes be a part of it in a very fluid way. Gorgeous
lighting, coupled with projection onto a beautiful woven backdrop, complement
the action and the various settings perfectly. There’s some brilliant and
almost dreamlike choreography built into the performance, and the story itself
is movingly told, and, on a personal level, opened my eyes to some things that
whilst I was aware of them, I should know more about.
The cast are amazing, most taking on multiple
roles, expanding the performance into the whole space, and the energy and
commitment they give to the piece from the minute the audience enters the space
to the post show celebration of life, is beyond astounding, especially when you
take into account the extreme heat on the night I visited (having worked in the
venue myself I know it can be an absolute oven on hot days, and freezing when
the temperature drops! Top marks to Cusack, who has to wear a cardiga for most of her on stage moments)
It should be noted, this was a preview performance,
and things will undoubtedly change before its official opening next week, but
not much needs to as it seemed pretty amazing to me. It officially opens as
part of the Manchester International Festival line up on 4th July,
with previews from 2nd, and I think it is very likely to sell out
once word of its magic gets out there, so book quickly. Following Manchester it
is going to the Young Vic in London from 29th July
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