Review: Meet the Kids, Bridge House Theatre

An Afro-gospel rap song celebrates the transformative power of God’s love as the audience wait for Meet The Kids to begin. ‘Contagious’, by R-Scar is warm and melodic, with an energetic rhythm. The lyric: “I put my trust and my hope in the one who’s securing me” suggests the power of faith and redemption which is a thoughtful opening to a coming of age play about teenagers in South London. Set in a school, the subject matters discussed rarely reflect the academic setting of the play but are much larger as they negotiate the lead characters’ journeys into adulthood and life outside the safety of school.

The plot focuses on four individuals: Quincy (Samuel Olaiya), a would-be rapper with a kind heart; Angelique, (Beatrice Ogundoju) academically gifted and driven but filled with self-doubt; Billie-Jo (Ellie Zoufri), a thoughtful poet traumatised by the loss of a parent and Jessica (Tamara Phoenix), a vulnerable rebel craving the excitement of life away from school and babysitting her younger siblings, but whose life is fraught with danger. All struggling with confidence and their identity, and they are looked after and counselled and inspired by teacher and poet Mrs Cleopatra (Natalie Duvall).

The setting is that of a school: a desk, a whiteboard, and pinned notices with grammatical reminders are towards the back of the stage. They do their job well with limited space, reminding us of the disconnect between school and outside life. The actors walk in and out of a side door.

This feels like a performance that is still finding its feet. The script is solid and well written. Each individual story has universal resonance and is easy for the audience to invest in. These are realistic and undeniably current narratives and as spectators we feel the tension building, and warm to the characters as their natural concerns and fears unfold in front of us. Duvall, playing Mrs Cleopatra, is very capable. Not only reminding the audience of the need for an independent parental, sensible guiding figure at this point in the unfolding of these young lives, she has light and shade, moving naturally from teacher to inspirational orator as she performs her own work. 

The actors playing the students themselves are still a little awkward and need to grow in confidence but this can come with time. Moses Ogun plays a secondary part, Francis, and is suitably menacing as that plot line develops. Unfortunately Phoenix, playing Jessica against his danger needs to just be MORE: more frightened, angry, sulky – all of it. The audience is very aware of the danger she is in but it is not matched by her performance. Similarly Olaiya as Quincy could transform more as his narrative unfolds and his leaning towards danger deepens.

The theatre is a typical black box seating no more than 50 so its power is in its intimacy, and the constant to’ing and fro’ing on and off stage is unhelpful. I wonder whether those actors who have core roles sit just off stage each time as silent observers to add to the tension?  Despite some uneven performances, Meet The Kids is a thoughtful and relevant drama with a strong script and engaging characters. Its honest portrayal of young people navigating adulthood makes it easy to invest in, and with time the production has the potential to become even more powerful and affecting.

Written by Desiri Okobia
Directed by Desiri Okobia & Ellis Metzger

Meet the Kids plays at The Bridge House Theatre until Saturday 13 June