MARY CONWAY revels in a powerful reminder that human lives are not defined by physical perfection
Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992
Gate Theatre, London
ANNA DEAVERE SMITH’S play brilliantly grasps the power and political impact of those bearing witness to momentous events.
First staged in 1994, this early example of verbatim theatre draws on interviews conducted in the aftermath of the 1992 Los Angeles riots and, in the process, explores the police beating of Rodney King, the killing of Latasha Harlins, the two King trials and race relations in the city.
The fragmented voices we hear provide no straightforward narrative. They are a constellation of disenfranchisement, bordered communities, oppression and violence yet, within that constellation, there are striking resonances.
PAUL DONOVAN is chilled by the contemporary resonance of Harper Lee’s coming of age tale amidst racism and white supremacy in this excellent production
DENNIS BROE points out that two popular TV series promote police violence and disguise it as ‘fun’
JULIA TOPPIN recommends Patti Smith’s eloquent memoir that wrestles with the beauty and sorrow of a lifetime


