Court

The Burton Taylor studio was the ideal location for this ingenious and imaginative expose of the meaning of the phrase ‘court room drama.’ Written by a second year undergraduate, Court is set in a courtroom minutes before the commencement of a trial, the characters compiling of the defendant, the defence barrister, the prosecutor and two others, the latter’s involvement in the lives of the lawyers becoming apparent through the hilarious narration of the is he or isn’t he a mad murderer, Suleyman Jones.

The psychological analysis of the relationships that was created by the excellent comic timing and use of meta-theatre, or ‘mental theatre’ as described by Jones, as played by Tim Schneider whose impeccable wit and delivery was apt for the role, was intensified by the intimate environment and direct audience interaction. This began immediately with Suleyman taking the role of a stand-up comedian, introducing the audience to his story and its unravelling, unveiling by the end the bare bones of human morality and the burden of striving for justice.

Cliched metaphors and analogies between the legal system and other phenomena revolving around waste, toilets and cleanliness were removed by the ideal casting of Ibrahim Khan as the sinister defence lawyer, whose relationship with Suleyman provides some of the best on stage chemistry seen on an Oxford stage, the pair creating an amusing yet chilling rapport, which swells as the back story is revealed, straining the relationship of the defended and the defender. Also wonderful was Gabriel Nicklin’s stint as an aggrieved prisoner, who managed to entice sympathy from the audience whilst communicating the darkly humorous farce of the legal system.

What carried this production was the comedy, which managed to convey the message of the play without ruining its sincerity. Schneider was perfectly cast and performed his role with sensitivity and intelligence. If anything, he was almost too good, as any other scenes where he was reduced to a mere bystander as the confrontations between the other characters occurred, fell slightly flat in comparison to his previous monologues and banter with the audience. This was highlighted further by the fumbling of words by the other characters at important moments in the play, which altered the flow of the narrative slightly, but should be put down to opening night nerves and not the lack of ability or potential in the cast.

Court was one of the funniest and most creative plays I have seen at the Burton Taylor. The production’s experimentation with lighting and form, which incorporated a weird yet brilliant parody on modern religious conversion for example, was inspired and the writing, by Hanzla MacDonald should be commended as one of the most intuitive and perceptive commentaries on the human psyche and the role of law, and particularly its moral impact on the lives of people embroiled in its consequences. Overall, for a short student production, Court was brilliant. It induced a lot of laughter through satire and parody, but sustained an intensely sincere explanation of human relationships through original and artistic production and acting, and is thoroughly worth a visit.