Review: The Children’s Inquiry at Southwark Playhouse Elephant

Tuesday, 9th July 2024 at Southwark Playhouse – Elephant

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Reviewer: Emma Dorfman

The cast of West End’s Matilda better watch out: The cast of The Children’s Inquiry shines bright as they crack open the history of the UK’s broken care system through the lens of the demographic most affected by it. While the dance-pop music may be somewhat at odds with the otherwise serious verbatim testimony and the scope of the story might pull attention from crucial characters, anyone will be blown away by the young ensemble’s vocal talent and bang-on choreography.

We begin with four central characters: Angelica, Frank, Amber, and Jelicia– all children whose lives have intersected with the care system in different ways. Pre-show, all four are together in a classroom setting, Jelicia drawing the words ‘Please Rise’ on a large piece of brown cardboard. Instantly, we’re launched into an issue play as the remaining members of the ensemble slowly emerge with their own protest signs, urging the audience to rise. We’re told this is to be an inquiry, but instead of the adults ruling on behalf of the children, the children will be holding their own inquiry. What follows is a whopping 2 hour, 25 minute operatic investigation into the many mishaps, errors, and injustices within the care system, beginning with the Victorian era all the way to the present day.

Naturally, with so many eras to explore, an agile, adaptable ensemble is required. This one more than delivers, transforming themselves into politicians such as Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, lesser-known witnesses, parents, and carers at war with the system, and of course, the children who have been most impacted by the changes (or, at times, lack thereof) of the system.

With a myriad of props to handle, set pieces to move, quick lighting changes and sharp choreography to match, it’s impossible not to envision these child actor’s names in lights for many years to come. On the particular night I attended (the production has alternate casts across the run), some standouts included the vocal prowess of Fayth Ifil, the many hilarious and scintillating voiceover mimes from Fearn I’Anson, and Anna De Oliveira’s incredibly believable portrayal of various adult mothers and care workers.

The immense talent from the show’s cast is nearly enough to distract from the mismatched ‘unce unce’ poppy score alongside the grave themes sung out by the characters. At several points, the audience is presented with serious real-world issues– poverty, substance abuse, sexual abuse, and imprisonment.

Though the music is infectious and perhaps a welcome respite from the darker issues explored throughout the production, I felt bad at bopping along to many of the societal ills presented by the children. In addition to this disconnect, I couldn’t help feeling somewhat disconnected from the four central characters that were promised to be highlighted at the top of the show. Perhaps it is the grand scope of the timeline itself- beginning the Victorian times- that takes more time away from the individual stories. Ultimately, this had the effect of making the issue somehow feel even bigger and more complication, as the audience had but a few scattered individual anecdotes to give the system more context and meaning.

Nonetheless, what this young cast has managed to achieve stands out above all else, and despite the narrative’s enormity, it will still spark curiosity and ignite a new interest in this very important, omnipresent, and near-omniscient, issue.

The Children’s Inquiry is at Southwark Playhouse until August 3rd 2024 – more information and tickets can be found here.