Review by Brittany Stovin-Bradford

Scorched takes you on a journey you will never forget. It’s a powerfully emotive thriller fraught with intensity that will leave you breathless. The play’s poetic narrative is intrinsically linked with humanity and survival; it is a tale of passion, one of love and the generational struggle of life.

The play begins as twins Simon (Ashley Lyons) and Janine (Yael Stone) are brought into a small time solicitor’s office to hear their mother’s last will and testimony. Their long silent-mother Nawal’s final wish is for her children to trace the mystery of their origins, searching for a father presumed dead and a brother unknown.

Simon - angry at his mother’s silence - refuses the responsibility at first, however Janine accepts her mother’s wish and sets out for her mother’s homeland. Eventually Simon decides to fulfil his mother’s request and with the help of the notary Alphonse Lebel (Brain Lipson), who provides superb comic relief, they set out together.

As the story plunges into a maelstrom of what is perhaps Lebanon but could be anywhere from the Middle East to North Africa or the Balkans, we slide into the past and are sucked into a vortex where past meets present as we are introduced to the story that will give rise to Simon and Janine’s present day.

The play has an almost dreamtime feel to it and the strong sense of storytelling is shown as all the actors remain on stage listening and watching the action. They sit alongside white painted walls with black graffiti showing underneath. The dark reality of the play is heightened through the set, as set designer Stephen Curtis chose to cover the stage with white sand, which is slowly dispersed by the actors revealing the blood orange floor of the past.               

Scorched is a truly original play and its appeal lies in this, as writer Wajdi Mouawad, Lebanese-born, Paris-raised, French-Canadian, wrote the script over a ten-month rehearsal period with the actors. He says, “Before a single line was written, we talked about consolation, the stage as the scene of ruthless consolation.” He acknowledges the crucial importance of the actor’s involvement, feedback and participation. Essentially, it is through this process that has led to such a deeply moving human tale peppered with love, hatred, war, peace, brutality, violence and forgiveness.

The brilliant ensemble cast, including Adam Hatzimanolis, Hazem Shammas and George Spartels. Heartfelt performances by Paula Arundell as Nawal and Jihane, Lucia Mastrantone as Elhame and Sawda, Zindzi Okenyo as Nawal. And a striking performance by Gillian Jones as the older Nawal, as her final letter is read out via microphone, it is nothing short of breathtaking drama, touching every heart in the theatre.

As director Neil Armfield describes, “I read Scorched and was totally floored…I think this play is a masterpiece of contemporary world theatre.” This is true in many ways, Scorched is challenging and confronting and well worth the experience.      

Scorched plays at Upstairs Belvior from 23 July until 7 September