Review: Debate: Baldwin vs Buckley (Wilton’s Music Hall)

Review by Matthew Plampton

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Stepping into Wilton’s Music Hall, with its magnificent Victorian architecture and time-worn brick, feels like entering a living archive; a fitting setting for a production that simply and boldly restages the 1965 Cambridge Union debate between James Baldwin and William F. Buckley Jr. on the motion, “Is the American Dream at the expense of the American Negro?” Billed as a punchy, 60-minute encounter that privileges language over theatrics, Debate: Baldwin vs Buckley aims not for impersonation but illumination. This acclaimed exercise in listening and argument, having toured both sides of the Atlantic, now lands in London with bracing relevance. The central question remains: does this production offer a fresh theatrical re-creation of the infamous debate, or is it merely a recitation?

The 1965 debate was a watershed moment in the American civil rights movement. Baldwin’s searing indictment of a nation built on African American labour and exclusion earned a standing ovation, while Buckley’s defence of American institutions urged patience and individual uplift over systemic reckoning. The house decisively backed Baldwin, 544–164, cementing the debate’s pivotal role in the public conversation on race and democracy. Baldwin’s speech introduced concepts still widely discussed in the ongoing pursuit of a fairer society, including systemic racism, collective responsibility, dehumanisation, and consciousness of privilege. The enduring relevance of these themes-applied to modern issues like race relations, minority protections, and LGBTQ+ rights-makes Adapter and Director Christopher McElroen’s production particularly resonant.

McElroen’s production uses simple yet effective staging. Original 1965 footage introduces the moderator and speakers, building palpable anticipation as the four actors take the stage. The minimalist set, with just four chairs, keeps the focus firmly on the words and performances. However, the production neither adds commentary nor invites the audience to vote, a stark contrast to the impassioned original debate. This leaves the piece in limbo: it is presented as a play, which British audiences traditionally watch in polite silence, yet it recreates a debate, an event filled with heckles and cheers. Consequently, the audience is left uncertain of its role.

Given that so much of the production rests on its actors, credit is due to the powerful cast. While the production claims not to be an impersonation, the actors were all dressed in the same outfits as the original debaters. Christopher Wareham and Tom Kiteley, playing the two Cambridge undergraduates, do a remarkable job of building excitement, giving their characters depth and personality. Although limited to the historical speeches, both actors deliver them with a passion that builds heated anticipation for the main event.

Arnell Powell’s Baldwin is impassioned and forthright but lacks the wise, oratorical quality of the original, missing the pauses and shifts in volume that made Baldwin so captivating. This again highlights the limitations of the production as a recitation of the original. Any actor taking on the role of Baldwin faces an insurmountable task, attempting to recreate one of the greatest speeches on civil rights with little room for their own interpretation. Eric T. Miller delivers a compelling performance as Buckley, working tirelessly to create a debating chamber atmosphere. Miller's charm and charisma are potent: at times, the audience can get swept up in ideas they fundamentally oppose-a damning reminder of a skilled politician's power.

This production will undoubtedly leave you pondering your own beliefs and questioning how much has changed since 1965. However, by merely reciting the original debate, it serves as a reminder rather than adding to the conversation. Given the power of the source material and its relevance today, the production feels like a missed opportunity to bring these arguments into a modern context. For instance, exploring the often-debated shifts in political rhetoric on race from 1965 to today, and how political parties appropriate narratives to sway a demographic could have made for a fascinating piece. While Buckley’s conservative stance in 1965 suggested African Americans were in a better position than much of the global population, Republicans' 2016 rhetoric claimed 'life is hell' for them. In turn, this differed from Clinton's messaging of empowerment, improvement, and ongoing work, which contrasts sharply with Baldwin’s position of systemic racism within a country and system that works against African Americans.

Whilst it must be acknowledged that much has improved since 1965, there is also so much more to achieve, and the politicising of these debates and discussions for election votes must always be contextualised and critically explored. Such a discussion and consideration could have made for a riveting, fiery production that lifted this from a relevant reminder to a blistering political and moral cracker. Ultimately, Debate: Baldwin vs Buckley is a strong production trapped by its own limitations as a theatrical recitation, leaving one to wonder if watching the original footage would suffice and what more could have been explored.

Debate: Baldwin vs Buckley plays at Wilton’s Music Hall until 7th February. Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/play/debate-tickets