Review: CONSENT, Crescent Theatre

Initially performed at the National Theatre back in 2017 and swiftly followed by a commercial West End run, Nina Raine’s brilliantly eloquent play, Consent, delves into the complexities of consent, empathy, and a flawed criminal justice system. The narrative loosely follows a group of decidedly unpleasant upper-middle-class thirty somethings as they first confront a rape trial and then grapple with more personal dilemmas that sit much closer to home.

Consent tackles various themes but most intriguingly, it explores how lawyers often argue themselves out of their own humanity. It demonstrates how, with enough cunning speechmaking, two opposing sides can both seem equally justified, and illustrates the destructive impact that living with a binary mindset can have on personal relationships.

With a strikingly simple set consisting of a raised, white stage, six black and six white chairs, director Andrew Cowie cleverly strips back the bells and whistles and leaves us with nothing but naked truths. Except, of course, that the truth is not so plain. When not onstage, the actors remain seated, themselves watching the action from side of stage as we too are forced to become a sort of jury and decipher the legalities. Every character is always an interested party, and no one remains impartial, not even the audience.

The show’s focus on the performances allows us to really appreciate the talent of its cast. Grace Cheatle and Scott Westwood are captivating as the principal couple, Kitty and Ed, whose explosive marriage and impassioned arguments are akin to the prosecution tackling the defence. The frustration with their characters is felt throughout the room, as we watch them transform their living room into courtrooms and settle courtroom grudges in the bedroom.

James Knapp as Jake, the sleazy barrister husband of Rachel (Perdita Lawton), provides some much-needed moments of comic relief, alongside the love-longing whinging of Tim (Mark Payne). Yet, the lawyers’ sarcastic jokes about their murderer and rapist clients often cut very close to the bone, and it is therefore almost essential that you have thick skin as an audience member watching this play. Their telling over casual glasses of wine undoubtedly calls into question the comedic value of rape, whilst cleverly depicting how lawyers can acquire the almost heartless detachment to their cases.

There are some slightly clunky meta-references to Greek tragedy and perhaps one too many dramatic outbursts but overall, the piece is incredibly well played, particularly with its new relevance in the modern #MeToo era. Raine’s play cleverly shouts about the little empathy there is within the legal system, equating ‘getting your story straight’ with ‘telling the truth’.

A daring production that echoes in the mind long after the house bulbs brighten.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Emily Holtom

Consent plays at the Crescent Theatre in Birmingham until 15 June, with further info here.