When I studied To Kill a Mockingbird at GCSE, over 16 years ago now, we were taught to view Atticus Finch as the epitome of flawless courage and morality. Gregory Peck’s portrayal in the award-winning 1962 film only cemented this idea: the noble lawyer as a lone crusader against racial injustice, whose emotional experience takes centre stage and arguably carries more than a few hallmarks of the archetypal white saviour.
However, this production – written by Oscar-winner Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network) and directed by Bartlett Sher – introduces a slight but significant pivot. Atticus is shown as fallible, with his actions examined through a more modern lens. It suggests that while personal morality is important, in such fractured times, is that enough – or must we also call out the failings of others? Played with stoic grace and impressive stage presence by Richard Coyle, the protagonist is no longer untouchable. There are chinks in the armour of the famed literary hero, moments suggesting that his insistence on meeting hatred with courtesy feels, at best, naïve – and at worst, complacent.
Andrea Davy’s Calpurnia offers a powerful challenge to Atticus’ reluctance to fully condemn – and, at times, his desire to explain away – the behaviour of those in his community, often citing their pasts and personal histories. A particularly striking moment comes when the lawyer is confronted for suggesting that she – and, by extension, the wider black community – should be grateful for his defence of the clearly innocent Tom Robinson.
Anna Munden as Scout strikes the right balance of fizzing energy and wide-eyed curiosity, and it’s quietly affecting to watch her childlike innocence slip as she begins to realise how cruel the world – and its inhabitants – can be. I particularly enjoyed Gabriel Scott’s turn as Jem, whose fiery teenage instinct to meet aggression head-on is a stark contrast to his father’s more guarded efforts to understand rather than confront. Dylan Malyn brings much of the evening’s humour as Dill, but the gradual unravelling of his story ultimately breaks the audience’s heart.
The warmth and chemistry between the trio breathe life into the quieter scenes, giving us moments of light before the storm. Their youthful moral clarity – an instinctive sense of what’s right – throws the failings of the adult world into sharper relief. It’s incredibly sobering to recognise echoes of Bob Ewell’s diatribes from the darker corners of your social media feed.
At a time when instances of racial injustice regularly go viral on our smartphones – a world where people of colour are abducted and murdered in cold blood on the streets of Minneapolis, and where racist rhetoric is not only unchallenged but actively weaponised by those in power – this production feels less like a period piece and more like a call to action. The decision to end on the words ‘all rise’ is a direct appeal to our collective conscience, making this one of the most powerful and essential productions you’re likely to see this year.
5/5 JF
