Is this the 'Death Of England'?

First blog... here we go!

Alright! You alright?

Tuesday the 25th February, sitting at the kitchen table, I discover that evening, would be the last time I would get the opportunity to see a flame that was burning at the Dorfman at the National Theatre. The flame was a new play by Roy Williams and Clint Dyer called 'Death Of England' starring Rafe Spall. A few friends of mine had seen the play and had said to me on many an occasion that if there was a target audience for this play... It was me! The play talks about many things, but for me, what's most interesting and what it tackles head on, is the stigma/ noise that comes with white men who identify as English, set at the funeral of 'Michael's Dad. Should it be a crime to be white and be proud to be English, Female or Male? I believe not. However, since the birth of organisations such as; The BNP, EDL and more recently Britain's First, they have ruined patriotism for the few, by disguising it as nationalism. The character of MICHAEL (played by Rafe Spall) discusses this very topic. Why shouldn't we be allowed to proud of where we're from. In a time full of division; Brexit, elections, Strictly Come Dancing, it's correct to say the right thing, what some may say as the more liberal thing.

Here is a play about a forgotten species. The play gives a voice to a character who isn't racist but is the son of a racist, a fan of football and also it gives a voice to a character who doesn't know who he is, a man that's torn between a nationalist and his Mum and Sister who just wants him to be his own person.

The play is laced with music that seems to have jumped straight out of a 80's Football firm film. The relationship between drugs, alcohol and football seem to be the basis of 'Michael's life. It's his escape, whenever anything negative happens it's his comfort blanket. Towards the end of the play, 'Michael' meets a man called 'Riz' who appeared to had known his father before he died. It comes out that Michael's Dad and Riz knew each other well and despite Michael's Dad's nationalist beliefs, he can attract an Indian man to be their personal ears to each other. Much like a lot of people in the theatre, by this point, I was in tears.

Sam Mendes said, 'The best drama comes from people trying to work out why they're here.' That seems to me the blueprint for any successful play. A character trying to work out who they are, why they're here, what they're doing here. That's exactly what Roy Williams and Clint Dyer have done. They present a man, decorated in Golden Jewellery, 90's style Rebook trainers and stubble lining his face doing a bump of coke whilst necking a bottle of Glenn's Vodka in the first Sixty-seconds of the play to, by the end, on his knees, spreading his Father's ashes, in un-controllable tears. To me, there's nothing more watchable than that of a confident person break down their own guard.

If you get a chance, go see this play.

'I'm just another stupid drunk Englishman, who cares about him?'

'Death Of England' by Roy Williams and Clint Dyer.