REVIEW: THE BOOK OF GRACE by Suzan-Lori Parks at Arcola Theatre 16 May - 8 June 2024

“Borders may be a red-hot topic at the moment, but this play fails to ignite.”  ★★ ½

The Book of Grace by Pulitzer Prize winning American playwright, Suzan-Lori Parks explores “ambition, family-ties, love and the power of redemption” states director, Femi Elufowoju jr in the programme forward. This play, located on the American/ Mexican border, which speaks at length about borders and boundaries both  personal and societal, should feel immediate and relevant. Since it was written in 2009 – and revised in 2011 – the world has become obsessed by borders. Trump, Brexit, Small Boats, Ukraine, the Middle East, we cannot escape the dogmatic power, symbolism and inflammatory language of the man-made border. There’s even a prime-time, reality TV show called Border Control.

Meet Vet, one of the main characters in this 2 hour long three-hander (with a much-needed interval). He’s a patriotic and zealous employee of Border Control. His life’s work is to keep out “aliens” and he’s due to collect an award for seizing a significant stash of marijuana from undesirables. A study in toxic masculinity, his swaggering, sermonising, porno-watching, pissing, bullying persona is vividly captured by Peter de Jersey. His long-suffering wife Grace, a waitress, is played with martyr-like saintliness by Ellena Vincent. On a mission to convince herself life has some pluses; she has a book into which she pastes happy bits of news. She looks at this Book of Grace often to convince herself “there are good things in life.”

When young vigorous Buddy arrives (Daniel Francis-Swaby), Vet’s son and Grace’s stepson, after fifteen years in the military, he has more in mind than a friendly visit. He’s down on his uppers, needs a job and has some unfinished business with his dad who – the audience is reminded repeatedly – did “unspeakable.” things to him as a kid. This god-fearing, America-loving household is not a happy one and there are clear divisions inside the home, not just in the territory outside. There is an unhealthy, competitive friction between father and son and a red-flag waving attraction between the stepmother and the son. Grace has learnt to handle Vet in her own way, which is to agree, ignore or smile. The narrative mines are laid, and the audience waits for the keg to catch alight and a massive great cleansing explosion.

This happens. Kind of. But what is strange is that it brings no real catharsis for the audience. The entire play is steeped in moral ambiguity and none of the characters manage to elicit real empathy from the audience. Poor deluded, conflict-avoiding Grace, who we should all be rooting for, feels like a victim with zero agency, the little book her only means of resistance. Vet, the objectionable boss of his own world, remains unchallenged and unchanged as an individual – his narrative arc is flat – he journeys nowhere and retains his blinkered view.  Buddy, meanwhile, who we hope will be the hero of the day remains beneath his fatigues, a frightened little boy with mere fantasies of vengeance. While the performances are strong, the play lacks clarity, feels convoluted and anticlimactic. Borders may be a red-hot topic at the moment, but this play fails to ignite.

Photos by Alex Brenner

Arcola Theatre presents

The Book Of Grace

by Suzan-Lori Parks

Directed by Femi Elufowoju jr

Box Office https://www.arcolatheatre.com/whats-on/the-book-of-grace/

Reviewed by Nilgin Yusuf