'Running with Lions' Lights Up The Lyric

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Susan Stanley-Carroll enjoys Sian Carter's debut play

The Windrush generation's relationship with their offspring is considered. Picture: Jahvin Morgan Photography

With moments of rippling laughter that merge with moments of deep poignancy, Sian Carter’s debut play - ‘Running with Lions’ - is a bold and empathetic study of a black family torn by grief and divided by pertinent twenty-first century issues.

Showing at the Hammersmith Lyric theatre, this wonderful play showcases the attempts by three generations to live together but the Windrush grandparent’s opinions are at odds with those of their offspring.

Suzette Llewellyn (Shirley) - local resident - creates a convincing and exceptional portrait of the grandmother: overpowering, loving, swayed by bigoted ideas that, at times, alienate her from her tight knit yet disparate kin. Llewelyn’s mesmerising presence dominates the theatre as she ricochets from issue to issue.

Will Johnson, plays Shirley’s husband, with a calm yet formidable strength deftly moving from eloquent preacher to suave boogie loving grandfather. They both live with the knowledge, but assume denial, that their daughter has complicated mental issues.

The pace and timing of both Llewellyn and Johnson is exemplary. Moments of sustained poignancy are burst with ripples of laughter and at times waves of belly laughter spring from the audience.

The production opens with a flashback between Nickcolia King-N’da (Joshua) and Velile Tshabalala (Gloria), the children of Shirley and Maxwell. A delicious duet trickling with warmth and understanding: a scene in which their loving sibling relationship is explored through tears and joy. Joshua is a successful artist and Gloria is thrilled that she is leaving her oppressively, claustrophobic, yet loving home, to move into a flat with her boyfriend.

A time leap of approximately 20 years - during that period Gloria is hospitalised due to illness. Joshua is dead.

'Bold and empathetic study of a black family torn by grief'. Picture: Jahvin Morgan Photography

However, Imani, Gloria’s daughter, a tender and sympathetic performance by Ruby Barker, has been parented by her grandparents while her mother was in hospital. And her understanding grandfather secretly supports her application to attend an American Art College. Shirley and Gloria vehemently oppose this decision. There is dark conflict within the family.

Michael Buffong, director, has delivered a polished production that was originally a radio play. At times the static quality of a radio script is apparent but Michael Buffong uses the wonderfully imaginative set, designed by Illusion Design and Contract, to offset this challenge. The innovative, rotating, star spangled staircase adds visual pleasure and depth to the, at times, lack of action and adds a surreal layer to an intriguing but uneven script.

Sam Ohlsson’s atmospheric lighting is appealing and deepens the play’s poignant mood changes as well as the many moments of hilarity that emanate from the cast.

Sian Carter’s first play is a considerable writing feat. We look forward to Talwalwa producing more of her work and that it is shown at the Lyric Hammersmith. A production that was greatly appreciated by the jubilant first night audience - congratulations to the superb team that created such an outstanding rendition of a debut play.

Susan Stanley-Carroll

Running With Lions is at the Lyric Hammersmith until 12th March. To book visit the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre's web site.

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February 20, 2022