BLACK SUPERHERO ★★★★ Royal Court Theatre | Mar 16 - Apr 29, 2023


Danny Lee Wynter's new play tackles a variety hot button issues, and the dialogue crackles with lots of good one-liners and contemporary culture references. Three friends who are all gay black actors explore sexual and relationship boundaries, struggle with balancing their ambitions and their principles and try to be true to themselves. They are varyingly successful in their careers and in their personal lives, and all of them are in therapy. There is a lot going on for these characters and sometimes the play seems to lack focus. Although well-played by Eloka Ivo, the character of Raheem didn't really seem necessary. The main arc of the story is the relationship between David (Danny Lee Wynter) the least successful of the trio, and King (Dyllón Burnside) who plays the superhero, Craw. While Craw is an idol, King is sometimes uncomfortable with his status, and he is conflicted about how to handle his marriage and his career. David, on the other hand, is someone looking for a person to idolise. It is the source and depth of David's need that becomes the crux of the play and for us the most powerful scenes were the dialogues with Rochenda Sandall who plays David's sister. Director, Daniel Evans draws some strong performances from his cast and creates some powerful images. Joanna Scotcher has imagined an evocative and versatile set that works beautifully to frame the piece. This is a haunting play that explores some complex issues and gives us an uncompromising look into some dark places.

Rated: ★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Johan Persson.

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When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: Royal Court Theatre, 50-51 Sloane Square, London SW1W 8AS, UK

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