Review: Crossing Points

I’ve never been the biggest monologue fan, perhaps because GCSE Drama forced me to perform one too many disengaging ones. But I can confidently say that Crossing Points has changed my mind. Write monologue-lover on my forehead, because this production had me immersed from start to finish. 

Crossing Points follows four characters, who begin with boxes in hand, building up the imagery of home (and homelessness, in the metaphorical sense) from the start. A fan favourite, I gathered from the laughs, our character Ismail attempts to emulate “British” culture, evident from quintessential phrases, “cheers, boss”, “lads” and the like. Razeen Surtee delivered the performance expertly, particularly for a first CamDram credit. He captured the loss you feel once you have poured all you have into becoming a certain person, assimilating to a certain way of life, but it’s still not enough. 

Image Credit: Yusuf Adia

“Have you ever felt that moment? The moment a place… or a people… decide to expel the intruder?”

Ismail looks back at the ancestry he believes he’s abandoned, wondering what he’s doing it all for, as he struggles to fit into any one box. When he introduces himself as “Ishmael” at the end of his monologue, giving up on trying to get people to pronounce his name correctly, it’s as if he’s giving up on his own identification. This is an all too familiar feeling for those of us who have been othered. And it leaves the audience with questions to consider long after the play’s end. 

I adored that the characters were talking to people we couldn’t see. In the case of Layla (Tanya Gupta), she sat at a table, exasperated. The power of monologuing meant we really got to grips with the character in front of us, a journey facilitated by Yusuf Adia’s graceful writing. This paired with Gupta’s tearful eyes as she spoke of the child she lost, allowed the reason I love theatre to come back to me. No extravagant set or cinematic music was required for us to truly feel Layla’s grief, an outstanding achievement for both the writing and acting. 

If I can’t be a doctor, and I’m not a mother – what am I? 

Perhaps the most relatable character, Eddie Luchman’s Safwan is portrayed as a student whose bubbly, cheery façade hides how deeply he’s in his feelings. From romantic love to blurred spirituality, we bear witness to the intensity of his character during a therapy session. His journey to find purpose and meaning, something he lacks within himself, resonates with the struggle we all face. The fact that we all keep living, that we’re all part of this world, despite our unanswered questions and internal challenges. 

Image Credit: Yusuf Adia

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Dhyan Ruparel’s Yasser was portrayed with a lovely familiarity, the quaint charm of a grandfather. The oldest character, the one with the most wisdom, and yet still unsure. Evidently, human nature is fundamentally unsure. We are constantly asking ourselves where we really belong.

As the play ends with the lines “It’s Britain, Dad. We’re home now,” I couldn’t shake the feeling that Yasser didn’t quite believe what he was saying. This feeling of alienation, uncertainty and remoteness, stays with you, no matter how much you’ve tried to integrate. And how much you’ve lost yourself in the process. 

Image Credit: Yusuf Adia

A special mention must be given to the lighting team, who added a touch of extra magic to each performance. As Safwan has an emotionally intense breakthrough, the Playroom fades into darkness. And I mean, complete and utter darkness. We are guided by Luchman’s voice alone, an incredibly fruitful directorial decision, allowing the audience to embody the character for a moment and captivating us in what he’s going through. 

Adia’s script was the winner of the CUADC Playwriting Prize for good reason. It’s not only proof that the stereotypes about medic roboticism are false, but highlights that new writing has an important role to play in the political climate today. The audience gave a deserved standing ovation for the cast and crew.

Whilst Crossing Points’ time at Corpus is over, this production deserves the biggest stage there is, and I sincerely hope we see it return in the future. 

5 stars 

Featured Image Credit: Isaac Sallé