Jeremy O Harris's daring exploration of race and desire electrifies London

Robert O’Hara’s legendary, ‘repellent’ and ‘extremely disturbing’ production has made its way across the Atlantic. If you haven’t heard of it, continue living under that rock. At least that’s how Jeremy O Harris has intended to bring in audiences - blind. If the reviews are any proof, the production will continue its winning streak in London regardless of the apprehensions expressed by a few skeptics.

"Prepare to be shocked"

The theme may be too American for the Brits, West End has rarely ever seen an heirloom dildo and sexualized boot-licking being role-played on a Virginia plantation. But that's exactly what O Harris is aiming for - gripping the audience with deliberate shocks. It’s a lot, but it's just the right dose needed to spark polarizing debates.

The cast is led by Kit Harington as Jim, and Olivia Washington as Kaneisha, with strong supporting performances by Fisayo Akinade, Aaron Heffernan, James Cusati-Moyer, Chalia La Tour, Irene Sofia Lucio, and Annie McNamara. Harington’s portrayal of a British husband uncomfortable with the perplexing therapy sessions bares it all, quite literally. Washington delivers a soul-stirring performance, especially in conveying the black woman’s underlying rage​. You can see that Harris is more concerned with the deep penetrating wounds of the dialogue than fully fledged characters. Every scene delivers formidable blows - what happens in the bedroom does not stay there.

"A tough, troubling, revealing play"

The set by Clint Ramos is integral to the storyline. You might gasp upon entry itself, as the mirrors on the background wall make you hauntingly aware of your own participation. OTT staging and a few jabs bring you back after the rude awakening, but not for long. Dede Ayite perfectly balances the old and new with historically accurate costumes. So when she slips Calvin Kleins in the 1800s, you know it means something. In most places, both set and clothing are stripped down to let the emotions lead. Especially so in the dangerously honest culminating scene.

"ebulliently messy, fiendishly clever, frequently maddening and gloriously different"

The curtains drop to slaves and their masters engaging in atrocious sexual acts on a Southern plantation. In reality, they’re three interracial couples undergoing a radical form of therapy designed to address sexual and racial tensions in their relationships. The unsettling dynamics deliberately bring up historical realities that stunt their modern-day romance.

In the second act, we get to sit in on the therapy sessions, where the absurdity of the situation is laid out. The play critiques both the superficial understanding of race relations and the deep-seated issues that can’t seem to find a channel. The climactic third act reveals Harris’s sharp writing, it’s intimate, unnerving, and deeply emotional. Whichever side you choose to pick, you will find it hard to leave your seat without wrangling about the unlikely narrative.

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