Blue/Orange – Greenwich Theatre, Greenwich

Writer: Joe Penhall
Director: James Haddrell

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

“Talented Cast”

3 / 5

Christopher is 24 hours away from being released from his 28-day sectioning and is desperate to return to normality – but is he ready?

Given that he insists that the oranges in the psychiatrists office are blue, and his father is Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, all signs are pointing to Christopher (Matthew Morrison) needing more time for a closer diagnosis. But, beds are sparse and funding is tight, so senior consultant Dr Robert Smith (John Michie) pushes for a release, much to trainee doctor Rubina Farooqui’s (Rhianne Barreto) dismay. Trying her best to argue her point proves difficult – a young, female doctor under his mentorship, she struggles to be heard, especially to be louder than Smith’s biases on culture, race, and identity.

Blue/Orange is just as provocative as it was when first written around 25 years ago, sadly with many themes still as relevant now as they were then – lack of funding, prejudice and mental health. The biggest difference to the original text, is that instead of two white male doctors diagnosing Christopher, one is now a young South Asian female, which adds an additional level of power dynamics and office politics into the mix. Some of the dialogue could use a bit of a refresh – some of the outdated references and moments such as indoor smoking don’t land with newer audiences. The script as a whole is purposefully uncomfortable, the portrayal of racial bias, inequalities in the healthcare system and internal hierarchies are well explored, though the narrative does get very repetitive, so some tightening or a change in pace to break up the monotonous arguments could help it remain constantly engaging.

The talented cast work perfectly in their roles – Morrison especially, who depicts the lost, confused Christopher impeccably. He’s been failed by the system and is fighting to be heard, but those who should be caring for him, are more concerned with their own progression. Morrison’s shifts between anger, sadness and bewilderment are fantastically shown. Michie’s Dr Smith is polished, arrogant, self-assured and patronising, his comfortable position in power never threatened. Barreto’s Dr Farooqui in comparison is passionate and emotional, and though well-meaning, her bedside manner towards Christopher lacks the warmth and experience required. Between the two intentionally unlikeable doctors, it’s no wonder the poor patient is so conflicted.

The trio build the tension and clash against each other wonderfully, eliciting every bit of intensity from the script even when the dialogue itself starts to tire. Fantastic casting.

Runs until 25th October 2025