Review: A Good House, Royal Court Theatre - punchy, provocative and funny
19/01/2025
Thought-provoking, challenging and funny in a play is a difficult combination to get right, but the production of Amy Jeptha's play A Good House at the Royal Court Theatre does just that.
Bonolo (Mimi M Khayisa) and Sihle (Sifiso Mazibuko) are relatively new to the neighbourhood of Stillwater when a mysterious shack appears on a vacant plot with no sign of its inhabitants.
The couple are befriended by their neighbours Lynette (Olivia Darnley) and Chris (Scott Sparrow) to be the face of a campaign to get it removed. Awkwardly polite negotiations about what they should do begin over mature brie and good vintage red wine.
Changing wall hangings, sofa positions and cushions represent the different living rooms in this smart, affluent enclave.
First, it is the homes of Banolo and Sihle and Lynette and Scott, but then we meet young couple Jess (Robyn Rainsford) and Andrew (Kai Luke Brummer), whose house looks out onto the shack.
Their gatherings to discuss what the shack means for the neighbourhood and what they should do expose assumptions, resentments and prejudices around race and social status - particularly when it comes to housing. It raises questions about fitting in, authenticity and how far you should go to assimilate.
A Good House shows how a home represents so much more than a place to live. It is an extension of the self, a powerful symbol demonstrating wealth and a financial asset to be nurtured and protected.
This is a meaty play, but it's also a funny play. There is humour in the awkwardness and exposure of human foibles but also a darker, revealing comedy about prejudice and racism.
The laughs ripple among the provocative punches, and I'm giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
A Good House, Royal Court Theatre and Bristol Old Vic
Written by Amy Jeptha
Directed by Nancy Medina
Cast: Mimi M Khayisa, Sifiso Mazibuko, Olivia Darnley, Scott Sparrow, Robyn Rainsford and Kai Luke Brummer
Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes with no interval.
Booking at the Royal Court until 8 Feb and Bristol Old Vic from 14 Feb-8 Mar - see the theatre websites for more details and to buy tickets.
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