Review: Between Riverside and Crazy, Hampstead Theatre

Director Michael Longhurst‘s first project after completing his run as artistic director of the Donmar
Warehouse is to bring the premiere of Stephen Adly Guirgis‘ Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Between
Riverside and Crazy, to the UK.

Danny Sapani, fresh from his superb performance in King Lear at the Almeida, stars as Walter
Washington, a retired police officer now seeking solace at the bottom of a bottle and harbouring a
deep grudge against the NYPD. Recently widowed, he fills his rent-controlled apartment with strays:
his son Junior (Martins Imhangbe), Junior’s slightly dim girlfriend Lulu (Tiffany Gray) and recovering
addict Oswaldo (Sebastian Orozco). It is a large apartment, rent controlled, meaning the landlord
could get a much higher rent if Washington was to be forced out. The strays and general negligence
(a long dead now untouched Christmas tree from before his wife’s passing still sitting there in the
corner) put his tenancy at risk.

Washington’s world is closing in on him and as the story unfolds we learn more about the incident
that led to his retirement. A seemingly friendly dinner with his ex-partner Audrey (Judith Roddy) and
her fiancé police lieutenant Dave (Daniel Lapaine) quickly becomes charged. Both still with the NYPD
and mindful of their careers, they aim to persuade Pops to settle his case, suggesting that his account
of events might be flawed. The issue of race comes to the forefront during these tense moments.

Sapani delivers a mesmerising performance, commanding the stage with each action and
foulmouthed tirade. He portrays a man convinced that the world has wronged him, seeking righteous
justice and compensation — not merely for the money, but for the respect and acknowledgment a
substantial public settlement would bring. Washington is unyielding; it’s his way or nothing and he is
acutely aware that everyone wants something from him, but he is adept at seeing through their
facades.

Guirgis’ script seamlessly weaves the theme of race, using it to delve deeper into both societal issues
and personal grievances. This examination of race is not just a backdrop but embedded in the
characters’ lives and interactions. Washington’s lawsuit is laden with racial undertones, reflecting the
systemic biases and injustices within institutions, particularly through Washington’s strained
relationships with his former colleagues Audrey and Dave, who are both white and still serving police
officers. In particular Dave’s attempts to convince Washington to settle his lawsuit are first subtly
and then not so subtly filled with racial dynamics, highlighting the pervasive influence of race on their
motivations and interactions.

The first act culminates in a sudden act of violence, while the second act delves into magic realism
when a visit from Church Lady (Ayesha Antoine) blurs the lines between reality and the surreal, leaving the audience momentarily questioning what we are witnessing. But this also broadens the play’s themes, bringing in faith, healing redemption and meaning within chaos.

Max Jones’ set design twists and transforms Washington’s meticulously kept bedroom into a hospital
room, setting the stage for a confrontation with his former colleagues. The use of bare mere wooden
planks subtly suggests that Washington is trapped in his own prison, a shadow of a cage hinted at in
the background.

The script is filled with humour, particularly through Washington’s foulmouthed, no nonsense
attitude, boosted by Sapani’s highly charismatic presence. His performance brings a vibrant energy,
portraying a compelling, albeit flawed, character. It may have taken ten years for this play to reach
London, but it is a welcome addition to the capital’s stages.

Written by: Stephen Adly Guirgis
Directed by: Michael Longhurst
Set Design by: Max Jones

Between Riverside and Crazy plays at Hampstead Theatre until 15 June. Further information and bookings can be found here.