Enough – Lion & Unicorn Theatre, Kentish Town (Camden Fringe)

Writer: Emily Hunter  
Director: Kitty Ball

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

“Powerful & Emotive“

4 / 5

Irie is a new recruit for the police, eager to make a difference in her local community and keep the streets safer. But her enthusiasm and determination to follow the rulebook doesn’t bode well with her fellow colleagues who have a strict ‘one of us’ mentality when it comes to the force.  

Irie (Riah Amelle) quickly realises that life on the beat is very different to the extensive training sessions she received leading up to her employment. Empathy is hard to come by and the rigid processes she learnt are often bypassed for an easy shift and an early night. Her partner Chris (Emily Hunter) has been at the job for a while now, familiar with the same characters they see in the cells each week, unmotivated to work as hard as they once did due to the lax outcomes and CPS rejection without mountains of evidence.  Their superior – Sargeant Spence (Gemma Green) has dedicated their life to the police – divorcing from their partner, spending most nights at the local pub and climbing the ranks to become an inspector, but they aren’t against breaking some rules if it benefits them in the process.  

This is a strong show, that evokes genuine emotion from both the cast and audience. One scene depicting an interview with a sexual assault victim is frustratingly realistic and highlights the infuriating misogyny around assault cases. At one point, the talented Amelle starts to shed tears of rage after months of her spirit being broken down by her colleagues, screaming at them with passion, despair and genuine exasperation. Green and Hunter do a great job within their antagonising roles, creating an interesting trio of characters that are unfortunately, very believable.  

There is a slight twist at the end of the production which adds confusion rather than conclusion and doesn’t feel needed to back up any of the messages or themes that are explored throughout the 50-minute runtime. Instead, diluting a lot of the energy from the scene previous by keeping the audience focused on the peculiar end, rather than the invigorating and emotive speech that could close out the show on a much more powerful note.  

Written by Hunter as a reaction to the police response at the vigil for Sarah Everard, this show does a fantastic job of highlighting the rage and disappointment that many people felt and still feel, towards the rampant misogyny that is all too prevalent in many aspects of society today.  

Runs Until 10^th August 2024