THE WOMEN OF LLANRUMNEY: A STRONG DEBUT PLAY

By Trisha Cusack ⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

Some plays are for pure enjoyment and escapism. Others are for learning and exploring the human condition. Azuka Oforka’s debut play ‘The Women of Llanrumney’ is certainly the latter. Set in Jamaica on a plantation founded by the real Captain Henry Morgan, we witness the brutality of slavery during the show’s two hour and fifteen run time.

The play centres around the titular ‘Women’ – Elisabeth (Nia Roberts) the plantation owner, Annie (Suzanne Packer) her housekeeper, and Cerys (Shvorne Marks), the new maid and Annie’s estranged daughter, recently “promoted” to the Big House from working in the fields.

When Elisabeth learns that her sugar crop has failed due to fungal rot and doesn’t have the funds to save it due to her outlandish debts, the household falls into crisis. Annie, desperately trying to save the little safety and privilege she has built over the years, conjures schemes to help Elisabeth secure funding from various men within Jamaica’s plantocracy.

From the opening, their roles are clearly defined. Elisabeth is cruel and the epitome of greed as she eats and drinks her days away while running her estate into the ground. Annie is cold and somewhat delusional, doing whatever she can to keep her “best friend and confidante” Elisabeth happy.

Cerys, on the other hand, remains steadfast in her disgust at the gluttony of Elisabeth’s behaviour. Representing the defiant rebellion happening outside of the safety of the Big House, having actually experienced the barbarity of working on the plantation, she is a stark contrast to the others.

The male characters, all played by Matthew Gravelle and his repertoire of accents, play a crucial role in reminding the audience that while Elisabeth is a cruel mistress/villain, she too is victim to the societal hierarchy. It was interesting to see her get shafted over and over again. As soon as you begin to feel sympathy for her, you are swiftly reminded that she is not the one to feel sorry for.

With a relatively standard set and limited physical action beyond Annie and Cerys carrying out domestic duties, it is the dialogue that drives the play forward. Most importantly, through conversations with Cerys, we discover Annie is not delusional, but traumatised. Hearing the sheer horror she witnessed in her earlier years helps us understand that she, in her own way, is fighting for her freedom.

Throughout these long periods of exposition, the audience is left with scarring visuals that reinforces the play’s objective to shine an unflinching spotlight on the harsh realities of the time.

While the play explores and exposes important and uncomfortable truths about this part of history, the play did lack a certain passion I was expecting when I arrived at the Stratford East theatre. Whether it was too many storylines or underdeveloped characters such as Cerys, this play had the potential to make a bigger impact. Its strengths lie in the brilliant acting of its cast who are undeniably talented and embody the roles wholly.

Oforka has made a strong debut with ‘The Women of Llanrumney’. While not flawlessly executed, it certainly makes an impact and forces us to reflect on Britain’s colonial history which, in this current social climate, we must not forget.

The Women of Llanrumney is running at Theatre Royal Stratford East until Saturday 12 April.

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Photo Credit: Chuko Cribb