War Zone, Comfort Zone

Immediately after I saw On The Record, London became victim to a series of looting attacks which started very near the play’s location of the Arcola Theatre in Hackney.

The fact that this violence might effectively prevent people from coming to see the play,  might make it impossible to see the work, was ironic and not wasted on me - with hindsight - as I wrote my review. As On the Record is in the main about the courage of individuals to speak out against being silenced, their insistence on shedding light upon the truth, I felt the play to be inspirational against such a dire backdrop.

But even before the London night unfolded, the play had resonated hard within me. It features six journalists, who are fiercely independent and adamant in their commitment to the truth. It’s an interesting mix of verbatim testimony – yes these are true stories – and dramatic and imaginative reconstruction. And although the stories are radically different, the thread that links them is the characters’ commitment to the truth – however awful and unpalatable it might be, particularly to ears and eyes used to sanitised reporting. Thus, US war photographer Zoriah comes up against the US military in his reporting of the Iraq war – his photos are not ‘respectful’, in other words they are horrific and send a message of defeat in that particular conflict. In Mexico Lydia uncovers a child pornography ring led by some of her country’s most senior politicans; Amira reports direct from the Israeli occupied territories, Elena is threatened by the Moscow mafia  and Sri Lankan brothers Lal and Lasantha dare to publish in their newspaper stories that others will not dare to touch…

In countries where kidnap and torture are routine, where censorship is the norm and where to speak out against the might of the establishment comes with a price, their courage sharpens our own world view. Somehow Zoriah’s story is more shocking –  the free world, represented here by the US,  is just as opposed to the truth as openly corrupt regimes.

Because much of the play is in the form of transcripts, it is easy to forget that it is a play. But it is stark and dramatic and skilfully produced, brilliantly acted by a talented and versatile cast and has received great critical acclaim. Kika Markham as Hass receives the lion’s share of the plaudits but the entire cast got two deserved curtain calls from a transfixed audience when I went.

If you have not been to see On the Record, I heartily recommend you do. It might open your eyes and shock you – but that’s what good drama – and exposure to the truth – are all about.

If because of the riots of London  you were not been able to see the play on Monday, then a gem of a production has been denied the light; go between now and the 13 August to catch it.

Sarah Hodgson is a regular at local theatres, and Editor-in-Chief at Time & Leisure Media Group.