Kindliness – Barons Court Theatre

Set in mythical country torn apart by war, Kindliness tells the story of a man (Malcolm) who must choose between his family and the young immigrant (Mimmi) with whom he is having an affair. Writer and producer Daniel Chaves, who also plays Malcolm, has crafted a script which attempts to tackle themes of xenophobia, racism, and tribalism. As such, Kindliness is a direct response to the many atrocities and conflicts ongoing around the world. The premise is certainly promising and, combined with Jenny Eastop’s dynamic direction, Kindliness had the ingredients to be a poignant, timely production. Indeed, when the show is firing on all cylinders, such as whenever Malcolm’s wife, Amara, delivers casual and cutting xenophobic comments, it is raw, haunting and depressingly real.

Sadly, however, Kindliness’ political message is also its downfall, as the performance frequently strays so far into polemic territory that the characters themselves are undermined. To put it simply, Kindliness is about as on the nose as it is possible to be. This came to a head when Malcolm literally gives a long monologue summarising the message of the show. Never a good idea! This was made even more frustrating as Malcolm had just turned on his young lover Mimmi in a powerful moment which demonstrated that even those who are allegedly committed to building bridges (literally in Malcolm’s case) can attack those ‘different’ to them when they feel threatened. Malcolm starting the play as an advocate for embracing other cultures, only to go down a dark path due to fears for his family’s safety, would have been a compelling arc. As it is, he pulls a gun on Mimi only to then give a speech about how there’s too much hate in the world. Again, it feels Chaves is directly preaching to the audience, rather than conveying his message through truthful character moments.

The cast all do the best they can with what they’re given. Chaves is particularly strong when portraying the guilt Malcolm feels for designing the bridge that, seemingly, kickstarted the war. Fia Houston-Hamilton gives a grounded performance as Amara and provides moments of much needed subtlety throughout the play. Lucy Kean is engaging as Mimmi and moves well from joyful romance to guttural fear. Victoria Chen isn’t given an enormous amount to do as Little Thing, Malcolm and Amara’s son, but channels a child’s energy superbly well.

Ultimately, while the heart of Kindliness is undoubtedly in the right place, and the cast and crew are clearly passionate, the script needed some more work to be truly effective. As it stands, the show is unfortunately a missed opportunity.

Reviewer: Ben Pearson

Reviewed: 17^th August 2024

North West End Rating: