Gone Too Far! by Bola Agbaje - ★★★☆☆
Bola Agbaje debuted her play Gone Too Far! at the Royal Court Upstairs in 2007. The show then returned for a run in the main downstairs space as well as at Hackney Empire and Albany Theatre. Gone Too Far! was a play of its time, heavily influenced by themes surrounding Black-British culture in the early 2000’s. The play went on to win an Olivier award, was adapted into film, and recently became a GCSE set text.
Set in Peckham, Gone Too Far! follows Yemi (Jerome Scott) and his older brother Ikudayisi (Dalumuzi Moyo) who has come to live in London after spending his adolescent years in Nigeria. After being sent to the shop to buy milk by their mother, the brothers trip morphs into a much more significant journey. One of brotherhood, and of finding and understanding themselves in a day and age where there are many layers to blackness and identity.
Ikudayisi is of the view that being nice to everyone pays off, while his naivety angers Yemi who believes he is street smart and understands the issue of racism in the UK. The brothers clash due to their cultural differences, and this ultimately places a strain upon the bond Ikudayisi wants to build with his brother.
As the play unfolds, it’s clear that Yemi desperately wants to prove his wisdom and gets to do so when he gets in a spat with the loud, truculent and mouthy girl from the area - Armani. Played by Keziah Campbell-Golding, Armani fills the boots of those who came before her in portraying a young (confused and insecure) girl who believes she is loved by everyone and untouchable due to her beauty. She is friends with Paris (Hannah Zoé Ankrah), who she eventually argues and falls out with because of her terrible attitude.
Other key characters include Razor, Armani’s boyfriend (Tobi King Bakare), Flamer (Tyler Kinghorn) and Blazer (Richard Adetunji). Blazer runs the estate, and is big on respect. He’s an impactful character all round, not only in terms of his entrance onto stage, but also with the impact he has on Yemi and Ikudayisi. Blazer’s Nigerian pride and assurance inspires Yemi to think differently, and leaves Ikudayisi beaming with pride. Though the play takes a different turn after this moment, the lessons from that conversation flow through to the end of the play/
The central themes of Gone Too Far! have largely been adapted to fit today’s world. However, the core of the story is still centred around tensions between African and Caribbean identities, and the play is a reminder of the progression that has been made in Black British communities.
Whether the play is relevant in the present day is to be questioned, as the play felt more nostalgic than timeless. In addition, while the inclusion of new characters and stories intended to present a fresher debate, at times these additions led to parts of the play feeling disconnected and out of sync.
There were however various parts of the direction that were clear and well developed, with credits to Monique Touku. In addition, Khalil Madovi’s choice of music was impactful in engaging the audience as the show opened, and was an excellent tool in aiding storytelling, and highlighting the importance of music in Black-British culture.
16-years later, Agbaje’s comeback with the NYT was fun to watch; the room was brought to life by continuous laughter from the audience, and we’re excited to see more work from the cast of Gone Too Far! Dalumuzi Moyo in particular stood out, and was exceptional, as did Tobi King Bakare who is already a remarkable actor and Richard Adetunji who was a strong and convincing Blazer.
Gone to Far is running until 01 April.
