Review by Daz Gale
⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s safe to say the inaugural season from Royal Court’s new Artistic Director David Byrne has been a resounding success with acclaimed productions including BRACE BRACE and the outstanding Giant, now deservedly getting a West End transfer. As the season draws to a close, there is still time for one more exciting production as Expendable nestles in to the smaller Jerwood Theatre Upstairs for its world premiere. Would it be able to match the high bar set throughout the year and end the season on a strong note?
Taking place over the course of one day in 2011, Expendable is centred on two sisters reuniting as they deal with the impact following a sexual abuse scandal where members of their community and one of their own family members have been accused. The play spotlights the often-overlooked voices of Pakistani women in regards to the shortcomings of law enforcement and their portrayal in the media.
Written by Emteaz Hussain, the drama centres on one family though they are used to represent something much bigger, affecting many more members in their community and beyond. Hussain’s writing is constantly captivating, filled with nuggets of humour and no shortage of intrigue as the audience gradually piece together what has happened in a play where world-building is of the utmost importance. Through the course of 85 minutes, the writing remains sharp, impressing at every turn with its conflicting tones of a more light-hearted nature and the serious topics the play portrays meshing together to create an intimate exploration that leaves the audience wanting more.
And that is where Expendable’s biggest opportunity lies. There is the sense that it barely scratches the surface of the serious topics it talks about. Perhaps that is the point but at times it can feel like an introduction that never gets as fully fleshed out as you would hope. Similarly, characters aren’t explored as richly as I would have liked, which feels like a missed opportunity given how intriguing what we learn about them is. While Hussain’s writing never falters in what is presented, I longed for more as this already quite good play could be even stronger and far more hard-hitting.
Given that Expendable is being held in the smaller space at Royal Court upstairs, the set design from Natasha Jenkins is exquisite in its execution, feeling as if it belongs on the much larger stage downstairs. Representing family matriarch Zara’s home, it features an elaborate kitchen (mentioned for its design multiple times and rightly so) and an impressive second level to the house, adding a sense of grandeur and realism to the play, immersing you into the world of this family.
Esther Richardson’s direction makes full use of this design, using the realistic home to create a sense of believability in their performances with characters speaking about something traumatic while carrying out the most mundane of tasks. Azusa Ono’s lighting provides a great aesthetic to the play too with a subtle shift depicting the day progressing and an impactful moment highlighting one solitary character towards the plays climax.
Avita Jay gives a warm and charismatic turn as Zara Sharif in a characterisation that is slightly erratic but always grabbing your attention. Lena Kaur plays her sister Yasmin with the two displaying a beautiful dynamic, perfectly depicting the fractured relationships siblings can have, particularly if they have fallen apart. Kaur’s portrayal, though markedly different from that of Jay’s proves to be the standout of the show. Benefitting from being the most fleshed out character of the cast, she delivers the most well-rounded performance with her interactions with each of the four fellow characters showcasing her talents.
Gurjeet Singh enjoys one of the more memorable performances as Raheel Sharif. In a quiet and withdrawn portrayal, there is a real intensity in his performance, making the emotion that appears later on all the more authentic. He does perhaps suffer from not being given enough to do, disappointing given his own prominence in the events transpiring. His scenes with Lena Kaur provide the standout of the play. The cast is completed by Humera Syed and Maya Bartley O’Dea as Sofia Sharif and Jade Steel respectively. Both delivering solid performances, they also both are extremely limited by one-note characters who aren’t explored enough.
Though Expendable is well-written, brilliantly staged and fantastically acted, I felt like it could go much further than it does. Beginning to unravel subjects but never quite getting there or stopping when it should be continuing, the play gave me the taste for more. You could argue that is the sign of a good play, and Expendable is undoubtedly that, but I don’t think it is the best version it can be yet. A bit more depth in the writing and world-building could make this exciting play another must-see for Royal Court, though it’s still decent enough in its current form.
Expendable plays at Royal Court until 21st December. Tickets from royalcourttheatre.com
Photos by Isha Shah
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