Winsome Pinnock's new play, The Authenticator, at the Dorfman Theatre in London, blends comedy with a thriller narrative about two Black academics tasked with authenticating the diaries of an 18th-century enslaver. The drama, directed by Miranda Cromwell, explores themes of slavery legacies and erased Black histories with an ebullient tone that belies its heavy subject matter.
The story centres on Fen (Sylvestra Le Touzel), a descendant of Henry Harford, who discovers the diaries on his estate. She hires Abi (Rakie Ayola) and her mentee Marva (Cherrelle Skeete) to verify the documents, which Fen claims show Harford as an abolitionist. However, the pair uncover disturbing evidence of brutality in Jamaica, leading to a series of plot twists reminiscent of an Agatha Christie mystery.
Pinnock's script is filled with zesty dialogue and humour, much of it derived from satire of Fen, a tweedy do-gooder quick to absolve herself of her family's sins. The production also sends up haunted house tropes, with designer Jon Bausor's traverse set featuring empty picture frames and trapdoors, accompanied by eerie string sounds.
Despite the levity, the play addresses serious issues, including a 'Blackamoor statue' removed after debates on colonial heritage, and missing diary pages hinting at violence against an enslaved woman. The performances by Ayola, Skeete, and Le Touzel bring verve to their characters' guilt, shame, and buried pain.
While some plot contrivances strain credibility, the overall effect is disarming, serving up important contemporary questions about investigating histories and atoning for toxic legacies with a lightness of touch.
