Noughts & Crosses adapted by Dominic Cooke – ★★★☆☆

Malorie Blackman’s 2001 young adult novel Noughts & Crosses has been transformed from page to stage with a valiant adaptation by Dominic Cooke at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Both the novel and the production explore and interrogate injustice and prejudice, and touch on the psychology behind protest and politics.

At its core, it poses a provocative question: what might the Western world look like if the roles of historical racism were reversed, where Black people were the oppressors and White people were the oppressed? And how would we react to a rise in violence as a result of continued degradation and ridicule?

The set design leans heavily into brutalist aesthetics, with stained concrete, tiled walls, stark white lighting, and a rusted metal mezzanine. The cold, industrial architecture strikingly juxtaposes the natural serenity of Regent’s Park, reinforcing themes of surveillance, control, and dystopian decay.

The main narrative centres on two groups: the Crosses, a Black ruling class often referred to as “daggers,” and the Noughts, a White underclass known as “blankers,” who remain steeped in generational oppression.

Sephy Hadley (Corinna Brown), the daughter of a powerful and pretentious Cross politician, enjoys the privileges of private education and social influence, with what appears to be a never-ending well of wealth at her feet. She distinguishes herself through a bold and fiery defiance of racial injustice. Her friendship with Callum McGregor (Noah Valentine), a kind and intelligent Nought from a disadvantaged background, anchors the story.

Callum’s family is marked by trauma, poverty, frustration, and the looming threat of radicalisation, which is a response to their lived experience of systemic inequality that is heavily shaped by repressive male behaviour. He is one of the first Noughts to be admitted into Sephy’s elite Cross school as a result of politicians trying to mend the image of race relations. This serves as the catalyst for their adolescence to adulthood evolution, and for the progression of their relationship from platonic to romantic, which is strained by the growing divide between their communities, their families, and ultimately, their changing beliefs.

The entire cast delivers strong performances, particularly in highlighting the “us versus them” mentality through stylised movement (by Movement Director Ingrid Mackinnon and Fight Direction by Rc-Annie Ltd), and layered subplots. Kate Kordel stands out as Meggie (Callum’s mother), whose portrayal radiates compassion and moral strength. As a Nought who once worked for a Cross family, she inhabits both worlds with care for communities and children from every background. Her character serves as a reminder that trauma does not always lead to hatred. It can also inspire empathy and integrity, even in the midst of grief.

In conclusion, the set, acting, and dialogue serve as springboards for deeper questions, such as what pushes people to see violence and terrorism as solutions to their dissatisfaction, and whether the existence of interracial relationships is a signifier of a more tolerant society. In the opening scene, it felt as though we were going to experience a classic star-crossed lovers story, inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, filled with a whirlwind of emotion and passion. But the play ends on a harrowing and sombre note.

By the closing scene, it was perplexing to recall how innocent kinship and romance evolved into the romanticising of manipulation and harm, fuelled by an anti-mixing agenda. While not the most engaging stage adaptation in recent memory, it invites critical reflection, which in itself earns praise for its ambition and relevance.

By Nadia Mantock

Noughts & Crosses is showing at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre until 26 July.