Vivienne Franzmann's, MOGADISHU unashamedly explores the clash of race, youth, class and moral values.
The caged set on the revolving stage spins the audience into the very epicentre of the drama from the onset.
Director Matthew Dunster offers an insight into the teaching world and the beauraucracy that can prevent teachers from getting on with the very job of teaching. The play resembles an innner city school yard version of The Crucible, illustrating how an allegation can disrupt and catastrophically damage.The Victim becomes the perpetrator.
The choice use of gritty language which could have been seen as unfitting and over indulgent actually was one of the plays strengths. In certain sequences the language and confusion around words coupled with the street talk provided much needed comic relief, whilst never detracting from the seriousness of the stage world.
After a sell out run at the Lyric Hammersmith and Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, MOGADISHU is controversial theatre that entertains, is raw in parts and leaves the audience, questioning and commenting on the mirror reflected at them.
By John Maguire.
Firecracker rates Mogadishu: 4/5 stars.
