Art Wednesday

Words by Stephen McEwen.

The dramatic manifestation of psychology is often a tricky one; the subject tends to lend itself more readily to the format of the novel – Sylvia Plath’s ‘The Bell Jar’ for example, or ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ which, lest we forget, first appeared in the form of a novel – which allows for a subtle and in-depth exploration of a mind in difficulty (one long prosaic monologue of mental illness, as it were). Even when mental health clambers onto the stage, we cannot help but think immediately of Jack Nicholson in his Oscar-winning performance, and the way in which dramatists often fall into using the stage to emphasise an overly manic, physical site of psychosis – if not this, then we are forced to endure one playwright’s ‘pithy’ social commentary of the NHS. Joe Penhall’s ‘Blue/Orange’, which gets its first London revival at the Arcola, does not fall into the usual uninspiring cliché, however, or into a dramatic mania in which actors have fun at playing ‘crazy.’ The all female cast (a change from the original all male cast so frequently trotted out in these situations) inhabit the world of a modern NHS psychiatric hospital in London over a space of 24 hours. ‘Blue/Orange’ provides a vivid commentary and discussion of institutional politics, opportunism, mental health, and race relations – all punctuated throughout with comedy and profundity.

The small cast keeps the structure of the play tight, and our attention fixed. We see Juliet, a borderline personality disorder patient, reaching the end of her 28 days in the institution, a stint she was subject to following her sectioning for masturbating with an orange in Shepherd’s Bush Market. Young, aspiring psychological consultant Emily has invited her superior and educational mentor Hilary to view Juliet’s last interview with the hope that her diagnosis will be recognised as significantly more severe than anticipated, leading to further time at the institution. The conflict essentially arises when Hilary disagrees with Emily’s diagnosis, which she tries to prove by asking Juliet to state the colour of an orange (which, reader, I’m sure you can figure out eponymously), and by asking her to elaborate on her story that she is in fact one of Idi Amin’s many children. What follows is a gripping story of Hilary’s obsession with her own authorised superiority, developing into insular manipulation and plotting for her own professorship, with Emily desperately trying to prove her own ideas true, and Juliet ever suffering in the background, quickly becoming the focus of Hilary’s hypothesis of an ethnic specific ‘black psychosis.’

The set offers perfect staging for such a story, as we look into a well-crafted simulacrum of a psychiatric hospital, a framed enclosure for our observation, as the two doctors themselves observe Juliet. Even the deaf subtitles in the corner, although primarily meant for its utilitarian purpose of providing the text for an audience hard of hearing, do inadvertently offer an extra insight into analysis and perception. The three actresses are superb in their realisation of their roles, each offering idiosyncratic performances through rapidly paced dialogue which prevents boredom in a play littered with rather heavy discussions of psychological theory. Ayesha Antoine as Juliet plays a tormented mind which still has its own character (or maybe several), without turning the role into an exaggerated ‘crazy person’ portrayal, focusing more on the subtleties of her state of mind. Esther Hall (you’ll recognise from the BT adverts, no doubt) is fresh and vibrant as the young doctor with a career in front of her, and Helen Schlesinger balances perfectly the character of Hilary, at once humorous and almost slap-stick, whilst being serious and pertinent when necessary.

As the play develops, we enter into fascinating discussion of the relationship and potential parallels between race and psychology in contemporary Britain, ever engaging through a well-paced performance. Presenting on stage strong ideas, matched with strong performances, one is left pondering for days after whether the orange is actually blue, or whether it’s ever been orange at all.

Blue/Orange runs at The Arcola until the 20th of November.

The Arcola Theatre (Click Here)