Speech and Debate, theatre review: Lots of speech, not enough debate

What a peculiar piece this is. Written by Stephen Karam, 2016 winner of the Tony Award for Best Play (although not for this), it tells of three misfit high school students who find themselves in an awkward alliance against the prevailing culture of cover-ups and sexual hypocrisy. Or, at least, I think that’s the general thrust, for Speech and Debate is one of those frustrating beasts that drags on but still feels as though it hasn’t properly got started.

The longer it continues, in fact, the more mystifying everyone’s motives; the conclusion itself offers little clarity. Anyway, we’re in the town of Salem, Oregon – the witch-hunt connotations of its Massachusetts namesake echo loudly throughout – where the Republican mayor has been found guilty of sexual liaisons with teenage boys.

Wannabe journalist Solomon (Tony Revolori) wants to write about this – and other closer-to-home misdemeanours – for the school paper; Diwata (Patsy Ferran) wants the lead in the school play and Howie (Douglas Booth), out and proud since the age of nine, just wants to be left alone to conduct his sex life in private.

The trio form an unlikely, not to mention implausible, truth-telling alliance under the aegis of the school’s nascent Speech and Debate society. This gives rise to lots of speechifying, but precious little fruitful debating in Tom Attenborough’s ponderous production.

There is one redeeming feature, however, and that is the wonderful Ferran, who has the rare and precious gift of a genuinely funny face. She’s shaping up to be one of our finest comic actresses and enjoys consistent high-jinx as the self-deluding Diwata, who composes amusingly angsty songs on her Casio keyboard and posts them to her blog. The duet between Mary Warren from The Crucible and a young Abraham Lincoln is a highlight among otherwise scant pickings.

Until April 1, Trafalgar Studios

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