At London's renowned Bush Theatre, a powerful new production is stirring audiences with its raw portrayal of life inside a secure hospital. Sophia Griffin's debut play, After Sunday, uses the unlikely setting of Caribbean cookery classes to explore the complex lives of men trapped within a system in crisis.
A Simmering Pressure Cooker of Emotions
The play unfolds within the confined walls of a Birmingham secure hospital, where occupational therapist Naomi, played by Aimée Powell, attempts to break through to her patients through weekly Caribbean cooking sessions. Believing in the therapeutic power of food and memory, she hopes these classes will provide both comfort and a safe space for difficult conversations.
However, the kitchen soon becomes a pressure cooker for the men's pent-up emotions and troubled pasts. The exceptional cast brings to life three distinct characters: Ty (Corey Weekes), the youngest, who displays witty bravado while desperately wanting to return to prison; Leroy (David Webber), a long-term resident torn between craving freedom and fearing life outside; and Daniel (Darrel Bailey), the newest arrival who simply wants quick rehabilitation to reconnect with his family.
Exceptional Performances and Direction
Griffin masterfully withholds the details of the characters' offences until precisely the right moment, allowing the audience to form connections with them as individuals first. When the revelations finally come, they land with devastating impact.
The production features particularly standout work from David Webber, whose portrayal of Leroy's attempt to write to his estranged daughter is heart-wrenching in its vulnerability. His voice cracks and wobbles with authentic emotion that resonates throughout the theatre.
Under Corey Campbell's direction, breathwork becomes central to the production's rhythm. Violent movement sequences between scenes see the men reaching forward aggressively, while XANA's atmospheric sound design maintains a constant tension, thick with the potential for explosive rage.
A System in Crisis
Beyond the personal stories, After Sunday paints a vivid picture of a broken system. The play exposes Naomi's impossible battles with hospital bureaucracy and her desperate attempts to make genuine change within an inflexible structure.
Small moments become monumental in this constrained environment - particularly the men's longing to cook for loved ones during the unit's friends-and-family day. These details highlight the human need for connection and purpose that persists even in the most restrictive circumstances.
The production runs at Bush Theatre, London until 20 December, leaving audiences with an unresolved but deeply moving conclusion that continues to simmer in the mind long after the curtain falls.
