Riverside Studios launches its Mainstage 26/27 Season with Affluenza, a bold new play written and directed by Andy Sandberg. The world premiere marks the beginning of a new season of five plays at Riverside Studios, with Sandberg at the helm as Season Artistic Director, directing each production. Affluenza offers an exciting start to the programme, bringing a new piece of writing to the Riverside stage for a limited run.
Set in the wealthy Hamptons, Affluenza begins when a teenager's drunken car ride ends in devastation. As the case reaches court, his defence centres on the extraordinary argument that his privileged upbringing left him unable to understand the difference between right and wrong. Inspired by a real-life case, the play follows the repercussions of the incident and examines the impact of wealth, family influence and privilege on personal responsibility and the American justice system.
Affluenza stars Noah Schnapp (Stranger Things) in his stage debut as teen Dylan whose drunken car ride ends in a head-on collision, causing the deaths of multiple people. While Schnapp is only Dylan for a few moments of Act One, he is really allowed to flex his acting chops in Act Two as a different character and gives a genuinely touching performance. Rupert Young (Bridgerton; Dear Evan Hansen) plays Dylan's defence lawyer, Brad, who mounts his case based on the argument that Dylan's privileged upbringing leaves him unable to understand the difference between right and wrong. After a quick moral battle, Brad takes on the case and wins, with Dylan serving a term of community service. Young gives an assured performance and again really comes into his own, being able to explore a different character in Act Two much more thoroughly. Wallis Currie-Wood (CBS TV's Madam Secretary; Elektra on the West End) plays Brad's wife, Anna, who actually comes up with the term ‘Affluenza'.
Later, the audience is treated to Currie-Wood as a more fleshed-out character for the entirety of Act Two, where she is able to display not only dramatic but also comedic moments. Juliet Cowan (Broken Glass, Young Vic) and Donald Sage Mackay (Indian Ink, Hampstead Theatre; Girl from the North Country) play Dylan's parents, Ellen and Dennis, who attempt to buy Dylan out of his crime. Both give solid performances and are then seen as other characters, including Mackay singing and dancing along to Joan Osborne's ‘One of Us' in a surreal Act Two moment. Janette Manrara (Strictly Come Dancing) again plays multiple characters; however, it is her turn as the victims' families' lawyer, Angela, that resonates the most. Angela attempts to convince Charles (played by Donald Sage Mackay) to settle, which leads to Charles' moral and mental breakdown. Manrara gives a confident performance, using physicality as part of her performance to gain dominion over the broken Charles.
While Affluenza has all the makings of a good piece of theatre, an interesting subject, a talented cast and an incredible two-storey set by Charlie Corcoran, it never quite follows through on its potential. Dylan's crime is established, we see the beginnings of his defence, and then suddenly find ourselves after his sentencing, which is explained away rather quickly in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment. The remainder of Act One shifts its focus to the victims' families as they fight for justice; however, this seems just as unsatisfying. Act Two is more fleshed out as a consistent story, with Dylan now older, but its concept feels so far removed from the structure and style of Act One that it is difficult to marry the two together. Adding to this, the older Dylan is played by Rupert Young, with Schnapp returning as his teenage son, creating an intriguing but somewhat disjointed shift in both character and perspective.
With Affluenza already extending its Riverside Studios run to 28 November due to ticket demand, there is clearly an appetite to see Noah Schnapp make his London stage debut. There is plenty to admire in Affluenza: Sandberg has assembled a talented company, Charlie Corcoran's double-storied set is a real highlight, and there are some genuinely strong performances throughout. The subject matter also feels ripe for exploration, raising interesting questions about wealth, privilege, responsibility and justice. Unfortunately, the play never quite brings these elements together into the cohesive piece it could be. Its structure and shifting perspectives leave the story feeling fragmented, and by the end, I was left wishing the production had explored its central ideas a lot more. There's a compelling play hiding within Affluenza, I just wish it had given us more of a chance to find it.
It runs until 21 November. Tickets: here.
Review: Stuart James Photos: Danny Kaan