Arthur & George – Birmingham REP

Writer: Julian Barnes

Adaptor: David Edgar

Director: Rachel Kavanaugh

Reviewer: Helen Chapman

The Public Reviews Rating:

George Edlaji was the son of a Parsee vicar, borught up in Wyrley, Staffordshire in the early 20th Century. Arthur and George is based on the real life case of Edalji as he was wrongly convicted of maiming animals, a crime that cost people their livelihoods, and George his freedom. Released early from prison, George enlists the help of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the Sherlock Holmes novels, to help him prove his innocence that will allow him to practise law again.

David Edgar’s stage adaptation of the novel by Julian Barnes and brought to the stage by the Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company, presents an account of injustice, corruption and racism that led to the imprisonment of an innocent man. Interestingly it is not George himself who attributes his situation to racist attitudes towards him. Indeed he disregards the very idea. Yet Sir Arthur and the Chief Inspector believe this is where it all began, bringing to light the difficulties facing mixed race families in rural England at that time, and the difficulty rural England had accepting them.

Adrian Lukis gave a fantastic performance as the novelist-come-detective, pouring his energy into the case determined to keep to his word and win George a free pardon, often at the expense of his future wife Miss Leckie who asks only for a bit of attention. George is presented as an endearing, idealistic and earnest young man, played by Chris Nayak who pins all his hopes on Sir Arthur to restore justice. These two title characters are competently supported by an excellent cast.

The stage set up, designed by Ruari Murchison, was impressive with a revolving centrepiece that aided the fluid narrative of the play. The story was carried by different characters, weaving from scene to scene, an innovative way to keep the momentum going and reflect the sense of urgency that Arthur and George had to solve the case. Visually the play was compelling with the movement of characters, the accurate costumes and the attention to detail seen in the props.

I’ve always enjoyed a good crime story and I liked the way the audience felt included in Sir Arthur’s thinking and musings over the situation as he rationalised and logically processed the events. However, for me, the ending seemed blunt and somewhat anticlimactic, a disappointing end to an otherwise very interesting, amusing and well executed play.