Review: Wicked Fridays, Drayton Arms Theatre

The Drayton Arms in Southwest London offers a charming pub setting and the theatre space above provides a wonderfully intimate venue for an evening of drama. This closeness serves this production of Wicked Fridays well, not only enhancing the performances but also amplifying Josh O’s set design. 

A central bed, flanked by tropical flora and carefully curated bedside tables, establishes a claustrophobic sense of proximity. A vivid palette of intersecting blue, red and green lighting effectively evokes the humid, sultry atmosphere of a Caribbean bedroom. Tying it all together is Justice Ezi’s sound design, which heightens the sensory experience with a soundscape of the familiar buzzing of Caelifera.

The narrative explores the duality of solo travel, weighing the liberation of independence against its inherent vulnerabilities. We meet Leilani (Sophia Lockhart), a lone traveller seeking sanctuary on a sun-drenched island to escape a fractured past. However, her idyllic retreat is derailed by Ariel (Aaron Sardinha), a man convinced of an inevitable connection between them. 

Sardinha portrays Ariel with a persistence that quickly curdles into something more sinister as he treats the concept of personal space as a mere suggestion rather than a solid boundary. As the tension mounts, the play pivots into a psychological game of cat and mouse. Once Ariel reveals he’s seized Leilani’s passport the power dynamics shift, forcing the audience to question who is truly the captive.

Beneath the surface, the conflict is driven by socioeconomic desperation. To Ariel, Leilani is not merely a romantic obsession but a ticket to a more prosperous life. She is a means to “green card” his way into opportunities that those from the Global North often take for granted. Conversely, Leilani is a fugitive from her own history, though the specific nature of her turmoil remains enigmatically veiled. They are like magnets of opposing social forces, repelled by the very economic void that brought them together. 

There is a palpable nod to The Tempest here: strangers arriving on an island, utilising the locals as guides, and subsequently subjugating them for personal gain. Though subtle, the connection is visible, and the play delves into this topic from an intriguing angle.

In a post-show discussion, author and director Tamara James-Dickson explains that Wicked Fridays is a play on “Filthy Friday”, a renowned party circuit across the Caribbean and South American islands. James-Dickson drew from their own experience as a solo traveller, reflecting on the stark divide within the diaspora where economic disparity prevents genuine solidarity,  particularly when the only way for locals to attend such events is as service staff. The primary concern becomes the avoidance of exploitation: whether through the scamming of vacationers or the systemic abuse of locals.

While soliloquies and flashbacks are used to provide necessary context, some narrative threads remain frayed. Leilani’s motivations for remaining on the island and her subsequent arc is not entirely clear. Additionally, Ariel’s use of “code-switching” — shifting his accent to assimilate with foreigners — is intended to show his adaptability, but in execution it feels inconsistent, occasionally leaving the audience confused as to whether his native dialect is an affectation. 

Though these inconsistencies are evident, they are creases that could easily be smoothed out in future iterations of the piece. The themes James-Dickson explores offer a compelling study of power and privilege, and the production’s ability to conjure a vivid tropical atmosphere through such minimalism is highly effective. It’s a provocative, visually smart piece of theatre that leaves a lasting impression.

Written and Directed by Tamara James-Dickson
Produced by Izzy Klein
Design by Josh O
Sound Design by Justice Ezi

Wicked Fridays plays at the Drayton Arms Theatre until Saturday 17 October as part of GrimFest.