Review: SONS, VAULT Festival

"How do you raise a son?" is the leitmotif question that runs through Olugbeminiyi Bammodu's one-man play. He introduces John, a second-generation Nigerian in the UK, who was raised by a mother who loved her two sons and daughter evenly but differently and a father who treated his brother to days out while he stayed home to bake.

John is now hiding in the toilets at work because he's too afraid to join his girlfriend, who just went into labour. What ensues is a tender piece that confronts the concept of masculinity and explores the challenges of raising sons.

Written by Bammodu and directed by Eleanor Holmes, Sons is equally entertaining and eye-opening. Hilarious and self-aware, educated on feminism and emotionally intelligent, Bammodu gives a genuine, effortless performance. His descriptions of friends and family are evocative and detailed, and he's definitely not a shy writer. He slips into gritty, dramatic depictions that swiftly go from pure amusement to sombre investigations of toxic behaviours.

From his mother's gender-dependent approach to the sexual assault perpetrated by John's brother being blamed on his mum, his criticism of society is precise and unforgiving. He handles the changes in tone and delivery exceptionally, creating a well-rounded, accomplished one-hour show. Holmes maintains the pace with great comedic timing, but Bammodu's script is the true star and has us turn a blind eye when the questionable choices in lighting design are concerned.

Running gags and tongue-in-cheek banter don't overshadow his deep understanding of the societal dynamics of educating a boy. By the end, John hopes for the best, voicing his wishes that his child not only grows to know right from wrong, but is also courageous enough to act upon his beliefs. He invites the audience to be better, expressing the need to intervene first-hand to combat the lack of men calling each other out.

The importance of a play like Sons is paramount in a world where Andrew Tate still has a platoon of apologists and bills keep being created to limit human rights. It's urgent and necessary, a bleak but hopeful plea for a better future.

Sons runs at VAULT Festival until 12 March.

VAULT Festival has been left without a venue for next year. You can contribute to the #SaveVAULT campaign here.

To post a comment, you must register and login.