An iconic piece of British theatre performed with heart and humour
Cloud 9 is representative of a new kind of theatre. Born from three weeks of workshopping and devising with a group of actors, this is a collaborative work part of the ‘alternative theatre movement’, beginning in Britain in the 1960’s. Her first play to reach wide acclaim, this remains one of writer Caryl Churchill’s most popular works.
Following the same British family, the first act of Cloud 9 takes place in colonial Africa, where the isolation, danger and boredom drives everyone into morally questionable situations of a sexual nature. The second act shoots forward 25 years to the 1970’s, with the children all grown up and with children of their own, dealing with a new and fast-evolving society quite unlike the one their parents grew up in.
Churchill uses a range of non-naturalistic devices which, combined with highly naturalistic and relatable dialogue, creates a fascinating whirlwind of a production, with a near constant stream of surprises. One of these being director Dominic Cooke’s decision to seat a small percentage of the audience onstage for the second act. Leaving the house lights on for most of the second act makes it difficult to fully focus on the story, especially with audience members constantly wandering around the stage from one bench to the next. This attempt to emulate Churchill’s abstract style may have worked, but only if the audience members selected are able to sit still for 60 minutes, a seemingly impossible task.
The casting for this production is excellent, with Cooke choosing a black actor to play the black character – although it was originally written for a white performer. The rest of the cross-gender casting is adhered to, creating scenes of fabulous comedy and moments for reflection. Ellen Robertson is a notable standout, playing the spoiled son Edward in the first act and transforming completely into his aged mother Betty in the second. Robertson delivers an incredibly moving monologue about finding oneself as a newly liberated woman, leading to more than a few audience tears shed.
The magnificent performances are surrounded by two fantastic sets by designer Miriam Buether, with a realistic forest backgrounding both. Everything that is upright and proper in the first act is totally brought down in the second, so much so that the audience is asked to leave the auditorium during interval so this huge set change can occur.
An exceptionally talented team has brought this iconic piece of British theatre to life, hitting all the beats Churchill intended. The comedy is constant, which ensures the serious moments really sing. A glorious production about race, gender, sexuality and everything in between.
Cloud 9 plays at the Lyttelton Theatre until January 13, 2027.