Review: Noughts & Crosses (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The 2025 season at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre has gotten off to a powerful start with their acclaimed production of Shucked, not to mention the addition of having last year’s record-breaking production of Fiddler On The Roof play to packed audiences at London’s Barbican Theatre. To continue their stellar year, they have opted for a stage adaptation of Malorie Blackman’s Noughts & Crosses. In previous years, I have always found the middle production in the Open Air Theatre season struggles to match that of the two that bookend it. Luckily, that is not an issue this year in a show that, for the most part, ticks all the boxes.

First published in 2001, Noughts & Crosses kicked off a series of six novels and three novellas, and is widely considered to be one of the greatest novels of the 21st Century. It tells the story of Nought, Callum, and Cross, Sephy - two lifelong friends whose friendship is gradually blossoming into something more. In an alternative world where segregation is still prominent and mixing is met with hate and danger, would they be able to stay together despite everything they face, and at what cost?

Malorie Blackman’s writing explores very real themes that have played out throughout history and can still be seen today. The genius in the writing is how she inverts this, with the Noughts and Crosses representing different races, though reversing the power dynamics so the Noughts are the ones facing oppression. The tension and fighting that breaks out between the Noughts and Crosses is instantly recognisable, with some obvious comparisons to be made to similar parts of history, though still keeping the dystopian feel, amplifying an already delicate balance of a very real issue and showcasing what could happen at its worst.

With these obvious comparisons, there is one more strikingly prominent one to make, and that is the similarities of the story to Romeo & Juliet. The fighting between two opposing families and the two young lovers at the heart of it all who try to find a way to be together despite their families allegiances, has been given a breathtaking new life in a clever twist that pays homage to a classic and familiar tale, while bringing something remarkably fresh to it. The fighting between the Noughts and Crosses extends beyond race, with a message of the injustice of inequality at the heart of the story.

The story has been adapted by Dominic Cooke, who once again works his magic to translate it for the stage. The result is a very real and often raw portrayal of all the themes from the novel, played out in a way that feels far more believable than a dystopian story should allow, perhaps a sobering reflection of the reality we face today. Tinuke Craig’s direction finds inventive and innovative ways to bring this to the stage, heightening the emotion, tension, and very real danger at the heart of the story with intricate choices that wow at every turn. Most notable is the inspired direction following one pivotal scene involving the character of Lynette in Act One. I won’t spoil exactly what makes this so jaw-droppingly brilliant, but it showed a real intuition for how best to execute the more somber of moments in the play.

It is not always an easy watch - Noughts & Crosses takes a no-holds-barred approach to exploring this dystopian reality, and some of the sequences prove incredibly harrowing and may even be hard to watch for some. Colin Richmond’s striking set design exposes the stage with its starkness, with the use of cast watching on with multiple levels, adding an always ominous presence. As always with productions at this theatre, the lighting comes alive in Act Two as the sky gets darker, and Joshua Pharo utilises this with one particularly impactful use of lighting, while an interesting use of sound design from Max Pappenheim adds an extra dimension to some moments in the play, making it land even more effectively.

Noah Valentine and Corinna Brown confidently lead the cast as the young lovers, Callum and Sephy. They both manage to shine throughout and display a wonderful chemistry together. The growth of Callum in particular is brilliantly represented by Valentine’s portrayal, with the young man that we first meet a million miles away from where we first end up. Chanel Waddock gets a memorable turn as Lynette, with Amanda Bright getting some great moments in Act Two. The standout for me came from Kate Kordel in her incredibly emotive turn as Meggie. Always on the edge, she gave a wonderful portrayal of a character about to cave in, with her anguished moments truly riveting to witness.

For one reason or another, some of the line deliveries throughout the play felt stilted and rather wooden. I imagine this was a deliberate choice, to give more of a brash feeling to the story, but the result of this was a lack of connection, which limited the emotional response I was longing for. There was an overall lack of nuance and subtlety, lessening the impact of some of the more pivotal moments. This was more noticeable in the second Act, where the tension ramped up, but some of the acting choices throughout the cast felt a bit too inauthentic to really land with the punch I had hoped for. This was a shame to see, as this production was teetering on the five-star mark for me, but my feelings on these deliveries prevented it from quite reaching there.

Not an easy watch, but a thoroughly gripping one. Noughts & Crosses is raw and real, painting a picture of an alternate world that has far too many similarities to our own. Malorie Blackman’s writing remains as remarkable as it was when the novel was first published, and Dominic Cooke has brought something extra out of it in this bold production. Not every choice works, making it far from perfect, and a slight pacing issue in Act Two does lose the momentum slightly. However, for the most part, Noughts & Crosses is a resounding success, continuing Open Air Theatre’s current winning streak.

Noughts & Crosses plays at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre until 26th July. Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/play/noughts-crosses-tickets 

Photos by Manuel Harlan