![]() His humour and warmth is evident from the start, yet his passion explodes during the trail, and his belief that everyone is fundamentally good, is both his weakness and his strength. Here, as Atticus Finch, he knows this is a marathon, not a sprint, and he gives the most humane performance of Atticus that I’ve seen. The last time I saw Rafe Spall on stage, it was his visceral solo performance in Death of England at the National. The material is shaped wonderfully, the narrative and events clear. Dill will live his life as an Outsider, facing the same persecution that Robinson did, but the point is beautifully conveyed in his sensitive performance. Our narrators are the children: Scout, a superb performance by Gwyneth Keyworth, capturing perfectly her defiance and enquiring mind, Jem Finch, who, in Harry Redding’s skilled and majestic performance, grows into a man in front of our eyes, and a show-stealing performance by David Moorst as Dill, whose sexuality is more than hinted to. Harry Reading (Jem), David Moorst (Dill) and Gwyneth Keyworth (Scout). The trail of “coloured” man Tom Robinson, accused of raping a white woman, exposes the racism rife in county Maycombe in the 1930s, and Atticus’s defence of him is still, tragically, relevant. Sorkin loves a debate, (The West Wing, A Few Good Men), and here we are swiftly taken into the courtroom by a trio of narrators, and events are beautifully paced in Bartlett Sher’s elegant production. Harper Lee’s enduring novel is one of those rare books that truly deserves its accolade of “beloved”, and Aaron Sorkin’s masterly adaptation preserves the story and places contemporary concerns firmly centre stage. This is one classic that does not need a re-imagining. Last Updated on 1st April 2022 Paul T Davies reviews Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird adapted for the stage by Aaron Sorkin now playing at the Gielgud Theatre, London.
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