To Kill A Mockingbird

Harper Lee’s beloved and thought-provoking novel about racial inequality, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, is vividly brought to stage in playwright Aaron Sorkin’s bold and updated stage production.

First published in 1960, Lee’s novel was adapted two years later for the big screen, starring Gregory Peck in the role of widowed, middle-aged lawyer Atticus Finch ( who, in the Deep South during the Great Depression, defends Afro-American labourer Tom Robinson (Aaron Shosanaya), who is accused of having raped a white girl. At press night, the role of Atticus Finch was performed by understudy John J. O’Hagan (and what a compelling performance it was).

The story is narrated as it unfolds by Finch’s two children - Jean-Louise (Anna Munden), nicknamed ‘Scout’ and Jeremy (Gabriel Scott), nicknamed ‘Jem’. They are befriended by Charles Harris (Dylan Malyn) - a somewhat goofy and peculiar boy who, you guessed it, also has a nickname: ‘Dill’. Every summer, Dill arrives in Maycomb (the fictional town in Alabama in which the story is set) to visit his mother (Phillipa Flynn). The trio share their theories about a reclusive neighbour, Boo Radley (Harry Atwell), who lives the life of a total recluse, which leads to all sorts of speculation.

Meanwhile, Atticus Finch takes on the defence of Tom Robinson, accused of beating and raping Mayella Ewell (Evie Hargreaves) - a young white girl who is the daughter of Bob Ewell (Oscar Pearce), a violent drunkard and despicable racist who recently joined the Klan and never misses any opportunity to make his opinion clear when it comes to his hatred for ’n*****s’. In fact, most of townsfolk their black citizens with disdain… to them, the negro is little more than a underdog and third class citizen, never mind a second-class citizen. Little wonder that Atticus has to take a lot of flak for his decision to defend Tom and even his black cook and housekeeper Calpurnia (Andrea Davy) has her opinions.

The ensuing trial is as taunting as can be expected, with Mayella clearly having something to hide and her father Bob threatening everyone in the courtroom, with district attorney Horace Gilmer (Richard Dempsey) and Judge Taylor (Stephen Boxer) having their hands full keeping Bob at bay. As expected, the all-white jury is on the side of Mayella, who claims that she had asked Tom to help her chop up a chifforobe when apparently, he took advantage of the situation and molested the girl. Despite the evidence regarding her claims being paper-thin and Tom declaring that he came to her aid because she looked like she needed help with chopping up the piece of furniture, the jury delivers the death penalty but things take an unexpected and even more tragic turn before the sentence can be carried out…

The performances are terrific all ‘round and to make this stage adaptation more contemporary, the characters of Calpurnia and Tom are significantly more fleshed out. Despite the very serious topics of rape and racial hatred, there is some comic relief to be found as well here, courtesy of Dill’s antics. At the other end of the spectrum stands obnoxious, mega-racist Bob Ewell and Oscar Pearce’s portrayal of him is truly terrifying.
The set design by Miriam Buether is a clever, multi-functional construction and director Sher has done an incredible job, too.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (a Jonathan Church Theatre Production) runs until October 25th at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh. Info and tickets via: www.capitaltheatres.com


© Photo by Johan Persson