Every now and then I come across a gem of a find and this time it is Red Velvet, a play by Lolita Chakrabarti and starring her handsome husband, Adrian Lester!
Lester plays Aldridge a mid-19th century black actor who played at Covent Garden. He is outstanding, in fact he is almost too outstanding as he overshadows his co-stars in the first act although they do catch up (sort of) to him in the second act. The play’s first act is happy, funny and political as Aldridge is cast in Othello in Covent Garden. The second half is where the tragedy unfolds as the audiences couldn’t face a black man playing a black character in a Shakespeare play. As you know we don’t like plot spoilers here, but do catch the play if you can. It will surely move to the West End and nationwide as it is definitely a hit with both writer and main actor receiving awards already.
And finally, the Tricycle theatre is just divine, one of those places that you sit in and think why don’t I come here more often!
Bunty
The Chatterjis Blog 
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