Thursday Theatre Thoughts: To Kill A Mockingbird Play Review

Gabrielle Hammond

gabsbitesizeblogs@gmail.com

Another theatre review incoming... All Rise!

As you may have guessed from one of the most famous quotes from the book/play- All Rise- I went to see “To Kill a Mockingbird” at the Wyndham Theatre.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee is my absolute favourite book I have read; and the play didn't disappoint it's funny, eye-opening, emotional and wholesome (much like the book).

I did wonder how they would adapt it into a play- although the play had been around for some time; this was a new version by Aaron Sorkin. As I haven't seen the previous adaptations; I couldn't comment on what was different but it was cleverly and marvellously put together.

It has so many morals packed into it and Lee produced the most enduring honoury moral literary character of all time (so it is said)- Atticus Finch played by, in this play, Richard Coyle who played this part incredibly well and was convincing in his role throughout.

I love the story and it was so well put together on stage- it made me cry a few times due to the emotional main storyline of Tom Robinson- a black man wrongly accused of raping a white girl- one of the most eye opening quotes in the play being "I was guilty the moment I got accused" and also the Boo Radley storyline where a man becomes the hero after years of the town calling him a monster simply because he does not fit into society the way he should.

I think what hit the modern day audience most is that this story isn't fictional- it happened and is happening all around is today. We are still not equal and we still look down on different races and different people that are outside of the norm. It is a poignant, timeless and if anything else, relevant story that will be a literary and now stage masterpiece for years to come. A truly great play (and I am not always a fan of a play) and one if you are looking for something to watch- you should definitely go and see it.

Thanks for reading and as always remember that "you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." Atticus Finch, Harper Lee.