REVIEW: SPEAKERS' CORNER: THE PUBLIC SHAMING OF RUFUS LOVE at The Hope Theatre 16 – 27 May 2023

Rufus Love takes the audience with him as his tale unfolds’ ★★★ ½  

Situated in Hyde Park, Speakers’ Corner is one of Britain’s most famous places for public debate and discussion, a credit to the right of free speech. Its history begins much earlier as a place for public execution known as Tyburn hanging tree. This is where the condemned had a right to speak their final words, whilst the crowds had the chance to show their response. Writer and performer Rufus Love puts down the roots for his play by re-enacting an impassioned speech from one such man. Standing in front of a noose, he begins by citing poverty as a main reason for his falling into bad ways, before confessing his sins.  From here, the play fast forwards to the present and a very different London, however, some things just don’t change.

Rufus Love gives a dynamic performance and takes the audience with him as his tale unfolds. He has put himself in the role of the accused and his accuser is utterly ruthless, making the kind of jibes we have come to associate with trolling on social media, nasty, secretive and undermining. Without wishing to give anything away, performing such acts in public are just as risky for the perpetrator. They too will be judged. 

Without much in the way of lighting or sound, Love is relying on his skills as an actor. His multi rolling and creation of interesting characters keeps the audience’s attention and clearly the story has people hooked. The first twenty minutes went by in a flash, and if the interlude with the Judge, suddenly threw the show off course into a tirade of popular politics (piling on the guilt complex), it had its payoff at the end. An enjoyable 45 minutes of theatre.

SPEAKERS' CORNER: THE PUBLIC SHAMING OF RUFUS LOVE at The Hope Theatre 16 – 27 May 2023 7.45pm

£10 PREVIEWS/£13/£16

Writer RUFUS LOVE Producer TATENDA SHAMISO

TICKETS https://www.thehopetheatre.com/productions/speakers-corner-the-public-shaming-of-rufus-love/

Reviewed by Heather Jeffery