Graceland by Ava Wong Davies and directed by Anna Himali Howard and Izzy Rabey features the character Nina a British Chinese woman in her mid-20 who falls in love with a wealthy white man who captivates her attention at an ‘optimistic’ Barbecue. Nina is played by Sabrina Wu who gives a convincing performance as she engages with the audience and addresses the absent other people depicting her up and down relationship with her ‘man’, which ends badly for her.
The setting, an attic based room with minimal light, bed, duvet and pillow within an earthy mud filled space that Nina moves into throughout the play which creates moments of drama, when acting out the unfolding conflict and her sheer tenacity in what is, ever changing life events. Her turbulent relationship and self- depreciating behaviour, adds context to how she is feeling and responding to her relationships, with her ‘man’ her family, and friends. Her relationship with money is exposed when she references the misguided generosity shown to her by a man who appears kind and yet manipulative.
An overwhelming desire to pay back the money she had from him to satisfy her own beliefs of his control over her life.
She explores issues of feminism vs masculinity, toxic relationships, and privilege; raised in her parents Chinese restaurant she exposes her vulnerability and culture by switching from English and Cantonese, referencing her habits of biting her fingers and cuticles, smoking with Chris the chef in the alley way, drinking too much, alongside her desire to escape this life. Her emotions play out within the drama driven by her dark thoughts, microaggressions and forceful control. Nina’s relationship with Sam and Josh offers another view of life that resembles some kind of normal behaviour, but for Nina this is part of the tumultuous world she lives in.
This play uses language of prose a novelistic approach with moments of soft quiet intimacy. Ava Wong Davies has a delicate approach to telling a story that evokes a realism of personal struggles, societal and cultural influences. A beautiful convincing story acted out wonderfully by Wu, however I couldn’t help feeling it would have been nice to see the relationship play out with another character.
Playing until 11th March, https://royalcourttheatre.com/whats-on/graceland/
Reviewer: Michelle Knight
Reviewed: 15th February 2023
North West End UK Rating: ★★★★