27 Sep Estate Walls by Arinze Kene | London Theatre Review

All right, so let me get a little confession out of the way. A bit of me groaned inwardly when I heard that the Oval House Theatre was staging Estate Walls. ‘Yet another dramatic piece about disadvantaged youth set in inner city London?’ I wondered. We’d heard and seen it all before… or so I thought. Thankfully, Arinze Kene’s witty and intelligent script, sympathetically directed by Che Walker proves that there’s still scope for discussion of what appears to be a hackneyed (yes, pun intended) subject. Set in Pembury Estate, Hackney Estate Walls is the tale of three close friends; Obi (Daniel Norford), Myles (Ricci McLeod) and Cain (Daniel Green) who live, love, jest and sometimes get up to no good, in the neighbourhood. Cain is fresh out of prison and looking to get revenge against the man he believes informed on him. Myles is a ladies man with the gift of the gab and no self-control. Obi relents of his past misdemeanours and hopes for a fresh start at University studying nautical engineering. Very much in touch with his sensitive, creative side Obi writes his thoughts in a journal-cum-book-of-poetry. His plans for self-improvement run into complications when his two friends, rather than show support, try to pressure him into raising some hell.

27 Sep Estate Walls by Arinze Kene | London Theatre Review

All right, so let me get a little confession out of the way. A bit of me groaned inwardly when I heard that the Oval House Theatre was staging Estate Walls. ‘Yet another dramatic piece about disadvantaged youth set in inner city London?’ I wondered. We’d heard and seen it all before… or so I thought. Thankfully, Arinze Kene’s witty and intelligent script, sympathetically directed by Che Walker proves that there’s still scope for discussion of what appears to be a hackneyed (yes, pun intended) subject. Set in Pembury Estate, Hackney Estate Walls is the tale of three close friends; Obi (Daniel Norford), Myles (Ricci McLeod) and Cain (Daniel Green) who live, love, jest and sometimes get up to no good, in the neighbourhood. Cain is fresh out of prison and looking to get revenge against the man he believes informed on him. Myles is a ladies man with the gift of the gab and no self-control. Obi relents of his past misdemeanours and hopes for a fresh start at University studying nautical engineering. Very much in touch with his sensitive, creative side Obi writes his thoughts in a journal-cum-book-of-poetry. His plans for self-improvement run into complications when his two friends, rather than show support, try to pressure him into raising some hell.