TRADE – Omnibus Theatre

“We are…human. They try to make us forget it, but we don’t.” TRADE is a powerful narrative reflecting the issue of sex trafficking in Europe. Performed by Tanya Cubric (Jana), Ojan Genc, and Eleanor Roberts, TRADE is directed by Maddy Corner and written by Ella Dorman-Gajic.

Jana, a young Serbian woman, prepares to move to London with her first boyfriend, Stefan, to make a living for her family. Little does she know that life will push her into the deep, dark, gruesome world of sex-trafficking. In the years to come, Jana is faced with several moral choices. Once a victim, she now plays the perpetrator. TRADE unravels the motives behind a young, helpless Jana’s transformation into a compliant trafficker, posing complex moral questions on her journey. The play along with the statistical data presented on the Show Programme serve as impactful reminders to stir dialogue on the issue of sexual exploitation.

Cardboard boxes mounted till the ceiling created the backdrop for TRADE with visuals and captions projected in Serbian and English making the play highly accessible. The black box theatre with cardboard boxes produced an appropriate intimate, dingy, and claustrophobic setting for the play. Mobile and flexible, the set and the visuals enabled the audience to traverse from Serbia to London. Switching between dim washes and bright yellow bursts, the lights seemed to boldly urge the audience to open up to the complex and problematic discussions of the traffickers in the play. Jana’s journey is aptly symbolised in her all-white costume that is gradually coloured in shades of red and black.

Roberts and Genc beautifully portrayed multiple characters in the play. Measured, centred, and evocative, their performances engaged the audience and kept the play moving. Narrated through Jana’s perspective, Cubric often broke the fourth wall to tell her story. While this device proved to be strong and impactful, some scenes and transitions lacked the pace and tightness demanded by the situations.

TRADE is a purpose-driven and thought-provoking play portraying the traditionally victimised protagonist in a more realistic light, making her relevant and sympathetic.

TRADE plays until the 19^th February, visit https://www.omnibus-clapham.org/trade/ for further information and tickets.

Reviewer: Khushboo Shah

Reviewed: 15th February 2022

North West End UK Rating: ★★★★