©Marc Brenner
Martina Laird’s debut play is set in Trinidad, in 1956. British colonial rule was nearing its end as Eric Williams, founder of the People’s National Movement, started forging the path for Trinidad and Tobago to gain independence. Driftwood is set in a gentlemen’s club in the capital, Port of Spain, where Miss Pearl rules the roost together with her daughter Ruby. It’s their home, although the property actually belongs to Mansion, an aging British civil servant, who came to Trinidad in 1920 to arrange a Royal visit by Prince Edward; liked it and stayed on.
©Marc Brenner
Police officer Seldom is an irregular visitor to the club, a jokey blokey with a winning way who collects his money for turning a blind eye – or at least as much of it as Ruby thinks he deserves. This is a society where law is writ small and individuals set their own standards as to what they can get away with. No wonder that when Diamond, Pearl’s long-lost son, turns up unexpectedly, his aim is to carve himself a position within the household where he can take what he feels is his fair share of any freebies going. But is American naval officer Tom, whom he introduces to the club with the prospect of hospitality, drink, and taking Ruby to bed, the right person from whom to take a percentage of illicit proceeds?
©Marc Brenner
1956 was, as it was all over the world, a time of change, and Trinidad was a melting pot of influences. Laird delicately paints in character traits and background details, giving an insight into what life must have been like in Trinidad at that time. Many plot intrigues are touched upon, including a possible powerplay for ownership of the club once Mansion is no more, as well as a thoroughly incestuous moment between Diamond and Ruby. Such intrigues are both a strength and a weakness: a strength inasmuch as they fill out the play with hints of potentially fascinating unexplored backstory, and a weakness because, essentially, they are left dangling until they fizzle out.
©Marc Brenner
Much of the first act is slow exposition, and Driftwood takes a long time to get going properly. Justin Audibert’s direction adopts a slow pace; useful in one respect, as it gives the audience time to grow accustomed to the Trinidadian dialect spoken by the locals. However, it also means that the opening act feels very heavy and sluggish, with only occasional highlights such as the initial conversation between Diamond and Pearl, or when we first meet Tom. We go into the interval feeling that the concentration we have had to give the play hasn’t always been worth it, and it was notable how the audience applause at the interval was slight and muted. However, it comes much more to life after the interval, with an engaging second act that benefits from a stronger narrative.
©Marc Brenner
Essentially, the story boils down to Diamond’s deal with Tom and how, when Diamond doesn’t abide by the agreement, it affects the lives of everyone – primarily himself – when he ends up flying too close to the sun like Icarus. Despite his bravura and confidence, Diamond is revealed to be a small fish who has only just learned to swim in a very big sea.
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Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey has designed a very compact and intimate set, resulting in largely wasted areas Stage Right and Left, and is also positioned extremely highly, meaning anyone in the first few rows (and The Other Place is not a big theatre) has to look up a lot. However, she has created some fantastic costumes for the show – all Ruby’s dresses are perfect for every occasion and make a great contrast with Pearl’s dour outfits. Christella Litras’ music, ably performed unseen by Leroy Johnson and Todd Brand, is evocative and helps set the scene and mood.
©Marc Brenner
The performances are all very good and certainly help lift the play. Cat White is immensely watchable as Ruby, using her very expressive face to help us understand all the character’s emotions. Ellen Thomas’ Pearl is a superb portrayal of someone resigned to a life of pain and underachievement, a no-nonsense parent weary of her responsibilities. Martins Imhangbe creates an imposing figure on stage as Diamond, a chancer always on the lookout for an opportunity, surprisingly fragile in a world that’s more robust than he imagined.
©Marc Brenner
Roger Ringrose gives a very entertaining performance as Mansion, flaunting his white privilege and moneyed education, the kind of man who has never had any doubts about his life because why would he? Shane David-Joseph uses his natural comic ability to great effect as the shifty and quirky officer Seldom, and Ziggy Heath gives a lively performance as Tom, arrogantly manspreading, calling the shots, and giving no ground.
©Marc Brenner
On the upside, this is a well-acted production of a play set in a time and place that rarely gets any attention from British dramatists; consequently, much of the material and background feels fresh and new. On the downside, the play could do with some editing and tidying up, perhaps injecting a little more humour and pace. But, as a first play, Martina Laird shows great promise and may well become an emerging voice of the future. After it finishes its run at Stratford, Driftwood transfers to London’s Kiln Theatre from 4th June to 4th July 2026.
Three-sy Does It!
