3.5/5 stars
At the end of February, I had the pleasure of attending the first Black-led play at the National Theatre in 2025. With 4-5 stars across all reviews on Alterations and a long run ahead, I had super high expectations for this highly anticipated production on my Q1 list.
Alterations written by Michael Abbensetts and directed by Lynette Linton (director of the critically acclaimed Blues For An Alabama Sky), follows a Guyanese-born migrant who is determined to make his creative sewing dreams come true, aspiring to expand his tailoring shop into a franchise against the backdrop of 1970s West London. The protagonist, Walker Holt, navigates ambition, family relationships and identity in this compelling narrative.
As someone unfamiliar with the Guyanese experience but eager to learn more about the immediate impact and events following Windrush, I felt this aspect of the writing fell somewhat flat. There were small mentions of historical context, like when Walker reminisced about shops he used to see in Guyana compared to London, as well as brief references to the weather contrast, but I would have liked to see more conversations surrounding the emotional impact of migration and cultural adaptation.
Alterations was presented as a single-set play, unusual for a stage that large, but still provided remarkable versatility through movable elements that added dynamic depth to the scenes, which in most instances worked perfectly. Although confined to one setting, the production made excellent use of additions and subtractions to illustrate different stages of the story. This approach drew significant attention to the dialogue and interpersonal relationships, which were the true highlights of this production.
Note that this play runs for 1 hour and 55 minutes with no interval—quite unusual in my experience of plays, especially at the National Theatre, but likely because the story flows linearly and does not naturally separate into distinct acts.
Star performances came from all cast members, particularly Arinzé Kene and Karl Collins with their impeccable one-liners and comedic timing. The dialogue was special for many reasons, including its authentic reflection of the culture and conversations within Caribbean households and families. There are very few productions that would make me howl out loud in a theatre, but it was almost cathartic experiencing Blackness on stage in a way that provided a release of joy and happiness—something remarkably rare for a regular theatregoer. For once, there wasn't a focus on Black trauma, slavery, or racism, which I believe we need more of in theatre!
Watching the play with my Black male friend also highlighted themes I hadn't personally considered, including the difficult choice between financial success and cherishing relationships with friends and family—often one comes at the cost of the other. As we watched Walker Holt deliberating his path, it was impossible not to reflect on how, decades later in the scope of modern-day capitalism, this remains a choice that most adults must make for themselves.
I hope that Alterations sets a precedent for Black theatre that allows more room for comedy and joy, for the healing of Black people as well. Being able to hear our character-filled laughter in the National Theatre should not be an experience that's rare or uncommon.
You can watch Alterations at the National Theatre until April 5th.
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