Ashley Walters' outstanding performance in Bola Agbaje's second play for Royal Court Theatre elevates the entire show.
Bola Agbaje’s Off The Endz will no doubt fuel a torrent of articles on representation of ‘black London’ in theatre. From the drug-dealing ex-con who can’t behave in an office and resents the system that doesn’t benefit him, to the spelling of ends with a ‘z’; this play addresses a stereotype a minute. And this is where the success of Agbaje’s play lies: in these stereotypes being artfully depicted and well placed with due cause. Sustained by a strong narrative and sharp, simple scenes that snap to a close, Off The Endz is slick, and punctuated with both light and dark comedy.
Rather than acknowledge his criminal past, David, prefers to call himself “a man who doesn’t conform”. Recently released from prison, he's staying with his childhood friends Kojo and Sharon who have worked hard to make a comfortable life for themselves on the council estate where they grew up (The Endz). David inconsiderately lazes around their glossy flat reiterating his attitude to economic success which involves ‘the fast route’.
Ex-So Solid Crew member Ashley Walters’ performance as David is outstanding. His irritating attitude and hot-headedness grates on the audience who nonetheless can’t help but find his comedy and loyalty oddly endearing. Lorraine Burroughs' portrayal of Sharon plays down the thin layer of superficiality which exists for comedic effect, and highlights her genuine aspirations for a better quality of life and her tough-loving, generous nature. Her suited and booted partner Kojo works in the city, making the bulk of the money that will go towards their mortgage when they finally break free of The Endz. His many layers are expertly revealed by Daniel Francis.
Agbaje will no doubt be accused of perpetuating ghetto stereotypes by portraying gun-crime, volatile ‘youts’, and rampant drug dealing. I would argue that she merely uses these stereotypical characteristics to illustrate one side of the existence of three specific characters. Her weighty statements are about a perpetual cycle of dashed hopes and bad decisions; about working class aspirations, material desires and how they fit in with our banking system. Kojo and Sharon both work hard for a living but by measuring their quality of life in the accumulation of plasma screen TVs and trinkets from House of Fraser, they’ve missed the point. Sharon’s pregnancy strips down their dreams to reveal the essence of what they’re craving: a safer, stable place to start their family.
More importantly, presentation of stereotypes in the arts or media is no excuse for blindly believing them or applying them generally. I’ve no doubt Agbaje could write an equally powerful piece about Kojo’s day to-day existence in his city office, representing a different view of black people in London.
As with her recent piece Detaining Justice at Tricycle Theatre, Agbaje shows her eye for relationships and their complexities. She has artfully connected the characters through their intimate knowledge of one another and the psychological triangles that form. Off The Endz is an apt production that will be hotly debated, and hopefully lead to theatrical responses from a range of writers.
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