"A Raisin In The Sun" by Lorraine Hansberry.

Nottingham Playhouse.

"A Raisin in the Sun" centres on the Younger family, a Black family living in Chicago in the 1950s. Walter Younger dreams of owning his own business, a liquor store, and the independence that comes with being self-employed. His mother (Mama) gives him a portion of the $10,000 life insurance payment from her deceased husband to invest in the store as well as additional money to set aside for Beneatha (Walter's sister) to go to medical school. 

Mama puts the remainder of the money down on a house in a white neighborhood. The family is approached by a man (Mr. Lindner) from the white neighborhood who tries to persuade them not to move into the neighborhood by offering them even more money than Mama's down payment, but the family rebuffs him. Afterwards, it is revealed that Walter has given all of the money to his prospective business partner who stole it and left town. Walter invites Lindner back to the apartment intending to accept his offer, but does he swallow his pride and accept or does his pride get the better of him and decline?

First off, let me just say that this cast, wholly and singularly, are simply incredible. If ever there were a feeling of being a fly on the wall, then this is the play to be that fly. Everything and everyone are so natural, almost as if they were a true family and there was no acting involved.

The language used is of its' time and seems at first to be outdated, but then you remember that this is America in the 1950's and racial awareness and words like "negro" and "coloured" were words in every day use. Nowadays everyone should feel uneasy when they hear these words.

There are comments made that audibly and visually shocked much of the audience, and so they should to depict the power that words can have and to create that shock, hopefully showing how far we have come, or how much more work we need to do in order to respect everyone.

Doreene Blackstock plays Lena Younger (Mama), the matriarch of the family. She is mother to Walter and Beneatha and grandmother to Travis. She is a humble, selfless, God-fearing woman, and the happiness of her family is of the utmost importance to her. And woe betide any family member who does not fall in line with her strong beliefs! Her family is her motivation for everything she does, including buying the house and giving the remainder of the money to Walter.

Solomon Israel plays Walter Lee Younger, a chauffer in his mid-thirties, the son of Mama, husband of Ruth, and father of Travis. Walter is unhappy with his current job and living situation and dreams of a better life. Although Walter has big ambition, his lack of awareness and self-centeredness leads to conflicts with the other family members.

Cash Holland is Ruth Younger, a domestic helper, Walter's wife and Travis's mother. Walter accuses Ruth of being unsupportive of his dreams, but Ruth is continually looking out for each family member's best interests and plays the role of peacemaker in their familial disputes. Ruth is always tired and puts on a brave face for the family, but she has news for her husband which does not go down well.

Beneatha Younger, college student, Mama's daughter and Walter's sister. She is aspires to become a doctor, but Walter resents her for not contributing financially to the household, and her family accuses her of being flaky as her ambitions and interests change frequently. Beneatha is played by Joséphine-Fransilja Brookman.

Gilbert Kyem Jnr plays George Murchison, a college boy and friend to Beneatha. Walter finds him irritating as he is everything that Walter is not; wealthy, educated and sophisticated.

Kenneth Omole doubles up as Joseph Asagai and Bobo. Joseph  is a Nigerian man that Beneatha has met in college. He helps Beneatha in the search for her identity by introducing her to aspects of her African heritage. Bobo is Walter's friend and supposed business partner who tells Walter that the other partner has stolen his money and absconded.

Oliver Dunkley, one of two actors playing this role in Nottingham, plays Travis Younger, the ten year old son of Walter and Ruth and Grandson to Lena Younger. Oliver is fourteen but looks the correct age for Travis, but what an actor he is, and will be going forward. He plays Travis as the typical younger brother, annoying his big sister but picking up on everything that goes on around him. He has wonderful little facial expressions that are so natural, nuances that can't be taught. This is a young man to watch for in the future.

Jonah Russell plays Karl Linder. He offers Mama more money than she has put down on the house just to prevent the family from moving into the white neighbourhood.

Directed by Tinuke Craig. With this being a play, pace is something very different than the pace of a musical, but as I've already said, this is so naturalistic, the pace that is created by the actors on stage is perfect and unforced or unchoreographed. The shocks are delivered and then moved on from, sometimes not even giving you time to digest what has just been done or said; let's face it, in real life you don't wait for a reaction when you're in full flow of an angry moment, do you? There is also real balance with the love shown within the family and there's plenty of comedy in the script.

Tinuke creates that real relevance today in chasing dreams and racism as the writer Hansberry did when the play was written in the 1950's, and while this is set in Chicago, it could have been set anywhere in the world because the story is that strong.

Set Designer is Cécile Trémolières and at first sight, this set looks like a standard set with kitchen/diner, but there are sections at either side of the main set which are gauzed off to reveal two separate rooms where the action is conducted in slow motion, creating an interesting incite to what's happening in the minds of the characters within the offshoot rooms. I was really impressed with the onstage working kitchen as well.

Costume Designer is Maybelle Laye. Composer and Sound Designer is Max Pappenheim. Wigs Hair and Makeup Designer and Supervisor is Dominique Hamilton. Lighting Designer is Joshua Pharo

"A Raisin in the Sun" addresses some of the topics that were current in the 1940s and 50s such as racism/segregation and changing gender roles/feminism, but other topics like the value of hopes and dreams and the importance of family are still relatable today. A really powerful piece of theatre that will spark conversations after the show has finished.

And if you were wondering, like I was, where the title of the play comes from, it comes from the poem "Harlem" (also known as "A Dream Deferred") by Langston Hughes.

The play is at Nottingham Playhouse until Saturday 16 November.