Review: London Zoo at Southwark Playhouse

It’s nearing the year 2000, and the media industry is in crisis. Unequal Productions returns to London with an encore production of London Zoo. Written and Directed by Farine Clarke, an ex-doctor and ex-media personality, London Zoo shines a light on how British media began to break down.

We open on a team beginning an acquisition, at the top of their game, but unfortunately we don’t get much further than that. Farine focuses the action on the behind the scenes machinations of the news industry. It is a world populated with corporate hotshots and spreadsheets.

Unfortunately, the play is more talk than action. We are told about the media industry, but we don’t get to see it. We don’t witness its breakdown. We are only told of overworked editors and endless cuts in long drawn-out scenes.

The play focuses on the disparities of power that exist in these corporate landscapes. Even those at Director level are forced to stay silent on their true beliefs. There are interesting moments regarding sexism and racism, but these are over-explained. The play doesn’t trust the audience to understand these issues themselves.

Perhaps it is the 90s setting doing a disservice to the play. Outdated racism and sexism is rife in the play. It probably was like that at that time. However, in trying to teach the audience that these beliefs are wrong, it gives the play an entirely outdated feel. A modern audience know that women who have successful careers aren’t weird or insane. We know that racist beliefs can be held by non-white people. The play doesn’t trust the audience to know this or to understand it when it happens. It over-explains, wasting precious time, while also winking at us over 90s ignorance. Characters joke that emojis will never catch on. More than once! Can the audience be trusted or can’t they? London Zoo doesn’t seem to know.

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By the end of the play, these issues reach a cartoonish conclusion, which would work if it was a piece of absurdist theatre. As the play is rather naturalistic, it is sudden and strange. One gets the feeling of an unfinished work, which is unfortunate.

Ultimately, London Zoo had an interesting concept executed badly. The initial cracks in the media industry should be explored, as should the racism and sexism of the 90s, but this way really faltered.

London Zoo is at Southwark Playhouse until 30th March