Land of the Free – Southwark Playhouse, Borough

That Abraham Lincoln was assassinated while attending a theatrical performance is fairly common knowledge. Much less is generally known about his assassin: John Wilkes Booth.

Booth’s life is the subject of Simple8’s production at the Southwark Playhouse. Booth came from a theatrical family and was himself an actor. It was his familiarity at the Ford theatre in Washington which gave him easy access to the President’s private box on the fateful night of April 15 1865. 

His motivation was unclear, but probably arose from anger at the defeat of the Confederacy during the Civil War, and Lincoln’s subsequent decision on the abolition of slavery. These provide the background to the play.

The play is highly theatrical. This is appropriate given Booth’s theatrical background and the fact that the assassination took place in a theatre. The seven members of the cast play a wide range of characters and it is explained at the beginning of the play that they are making no attempt at realism when it comes to playing genders and ages. A number of short scenes illustrate events in Booth’s life, starting with his domineering theatrical father interfering as the children are attempting to perform Julius Caesar. (An appropriate choice given its focus on an earlier assassination!)   

The audience is guided through the various scenes with useful sign boards, indicating the date and location. It is not totally sequential, jumping backwards and forwards in time but tells the story of Booth, the assassination and his subsequent violent death quite accurately.

The play is quite light-hearted and humorous with the cast also singing and playing snippets from Civil War songs, which I personally could have done with hearing more of. Although there is inevitably shooting, no actual guns are displayed on stage. The staging was very basic with the actors moving the few props and stage furniture needed for each scene, and using a curtain to reveal subsequent scenes.

Sebastian Armesto, who is both co-writer and director, kept the action fast moving, and the two one-hour acts fled by. Brandon Bassir in the role of John Wilkes Booth is a highly engaging actor who well fitted the role. Clara Onyemere, who included Lincoln in one of her many roles, could have displayed more gravitas when presenting this iconic figure.

The play succeeds in being very entertaining and informative, providing an opportunity to reflect on the interaction between violence and political life in America: seven American Presidents have been subjected to assassinations and assassination attempts. The play also sheds light on the legacy of the Civil War and the slavery debate.

Reviewer: Paul Ackroyd

Reviewed: 15th October 2024

North West End UK Rating: