Play: This Bitter Earth

This Bitter Earth by Harrison David Rivers, at the White Bear Theatre, Kennington.

Neil (Max Sterne) is a passionate white supporter of Black Lives Matter from a wealthy background. Jesse (Martin Edwards) is a black writer with a university scholarship from a traditional Baptist family.

Neil, determined to right wrongs, is outspoken about why he attends protests, but the more introspective Jess is less than convinced about the effectiveness of such activism.

These two very different characters build a sometimes rocky yet devoted relationship.

This production is set in the US against a backdrop of police violence against black men in the US, and scenes are interspersed with recordings of news reports of these incidents.

The themes of race, class and sexuality run naturally through the story. Jesse muses that he has dated only white men, maybe as black men have not learnt how to be "soft". When Neil fervently explains his activism, it is Jesse who starts to say that "all lives" matter. The play never feels didactic, even as Neil acknowledges the advantages of his skin colour.

The scenes are not chronological, which can sometimes feel confusing. Nonetheless, the sound and set design allow the couple to move smoothly between their home and an external world that can sometimes be hostile to gay as well as black men.

This Bitter Earth is directed by Peter Cieply. The producer is Sarah Lawrie, Storefront Theatre.

The play runs until 11 March 2023.
For more details and to book tickets see: www.whitebeartheatre.co.uk/whatson/This-Bitter-Earth