Paul Anthony Morris’s Conundrum is exactly that, but it is a conundrum that can be slowly, and methodically unpacked and solved, writes Michael Holland.
On a stark stage, Anthony Ofoegbu plays Fidel who, while sorting through old boxes, comes across his teenage diaries, which take him back to when he had his whole life ahead of him. But those diaries also put his whole life into stark relief on a visual timeline, and what he saw was the pressure placed on him because of his colour; the pressure of society, the pressure of racism, and the pressure of parents who, while believing they were protecting him, emphasised the need to be ‘ten times better’ than others, which led to the pressure of feeling that being as good as white people would never be enough. And when that pressure builds up it often explodes into mental health problems.
Through words, mime, and movement Fidel takes us through the Hells and Heavens of his past, his struggles, and his achievements, although his list of A+ exam grades often meant he was turned down for jobs. But was being ‘over-educated’ the real reason for not getting those positions, or was it because Fidel is black?
We witness a traumatic time in Fidel’s life when medication seems the only answer, but light is found at the end of his dark tunnel as he comes to the realisation that he knows who he is, that he is not who others tell him who he is, and that the difficulties he experienced were not his fault but the making of institutionalized racism in society.
Conundrum is not an easy watch. Three of us got together after to unwrap the work, to pull it apart and see if we could put it back together in a form that we could understand. And then, when we did, we were still not sure if our conclusion was what the writer wanted us to come to.
Notwithstanding our own conundrum, Anthony Ofoegbu gave a mesmerising performance under the direction of the writer and received a standing ovation for his effort.
One of our trio was writer/actor Frank Prosper who I asked about the recurring ‘ten times better’ theme of the play. He replied, ‘I think he’s talking about African parents as my parents (Caribbean) only told me to be twice as good as the white kids.’
Young Vic, 66, The Cut, SE1 8LZ until 4th February. Times: 7.45pm. Matinee performances, 2.45pm. Admission: Unreserved £18, Concessions £16.
Booking: Conundrum, Maria Theatre, Young Vic