Alterations
National Theatre, London

WHEN a rarely revived play from yesteryear is brought back to life it always begs the question — why now? In the case of Michael Abbensetts’ 1978 work Alterations the answer is clearly “legacy,” but is that enough to warrant such a revival?  

Walker Holt (Arinzé Kene) is a man on a mission and it is all hands to the seams in his “not exactly Yves Sant Laurent” Carnaby Street garment modification shop. Mr Nat (Colin Mace), a Jewish forefather of the profession, has called on him to alter hundreds of pairs of trousers within 24 hours, and with a desire to be “the king of the garment jungle,” Kene’s Walker sets about it with frantic fervour.

Caught in the cross-stitch of his aspirations are “wife, just” Darlene (Cherrelle Skeete), subsidiary business partner Buster (Gershwyn Eustace Jnr), the flamboyant and charming Horace (Karl Collins) and sharp upstart Courtney (Raphel Famotibe).

But perhaps the greatest victim of his headstrong ambition, or possibly blind narcissism, is a character we never see, his baby daughter Janet. When he refuses the recently redundant Darlene cash for baby essentials, Horace provides and offers the promise of much needed emotional fulfilment alongside it.

This is largely the limit of the sitcom-style plot, summed up succinctly by the earnest Mr Nat, “you lost a wife but you gained a shop.”

Luckily there is much greater substance in the shop floor jousting when issues of racism, unemployment and police oppression arise. The framing of immigration as a “race problem” in the British media provokes a particularly stark discussion which, with almost 50 years of reflection, shocks in its sheer relevance. Homogenising references to other ethnic groups provide an awkward counterpoint however.

Credit must go to Trish Cooke whose additional written material, although it’s not entirely clear how much of it there is, brings weight by emphasising the intergenerational complexities both between and within immigrant communities through the characters of Mr Nat and Courtney.

Director Lynette Linton, who has the difficult task of trying to eke out the drama in such a straightforward text, also warrants highlighting. The foregrounding of Walker’s dreams through brief but meaningful ensemble vignettes brings much needed context to proceedings. Frankie Bradshaw and Natalie Johnson’s vivacious costumes also deserve a mention, bringing flair and colour in abundance.

The inclusion of current musical references from Bashy and Little Simz, accompanying a much welcome John Holt classic, also bolster the timeline scope of the production. “Gotta build on that past, that’s the pedigree. Can’t fuck that up, that’s the legacy” echoes widely as the audience exit.

Yet aside from being an absorbing time capsule, Alterations can’t help but underwhelm due to its fundamental lack of depth or surprise. It is difficult to stem the thought that an attempt to reflect on legacy may have surreptitiously ended up blocking an opportunity for an upcoming writer to create a new one on the National Theatre stage.

Runs until April 6. Box Office: 020 3989 5455, nationaltheatre.org.uk