To Kill a Mockingbird at Curve Leicester
Screenwriter and filmmaker Aaron Sorkin sure knows how to write a courtroom scene. From the iconic “You can’t handle the truth” in A Few Good Men to his 2020 film The Trial of the Chicago 7, the celebrated writer mixes both memorable dialogue with fascinating legal fighting to perfection.
So he seems an ideal fit for a stage adaptation of Southern Gothic novel To Kill A Mockingbird, itself turned into the award-winning 1962 movie starring Gregory Peck.
And surprise surprise. It works out a dream. This new version comes to Curve Leicester as part of a UK tour and it serves up a brilliant mix of theatrical fun balanced well with the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel’s exploration of race, innocence and injustice.
If you’re new to the book, film or Sorkin’s stage version, To Kill A Mockingbird is a legal drama where lawyer Atticus Finch tries to maintain a sense of fairness as he raises his children against prejudice in the Deep South of the USA. At the same time, he is tasked with defending a black man in court who is accused of raping a white woman. And with this being depression-era Alabama, he has more than an uphill struggle.
Richard Coyle plays Atticus here and gives a phenomenal performance. Displaying dignity and gravitas, Coyle controls the stage. But Sorkin’s adaptation also allows the actor to envelope his vulnerabilities as well, and even admit when he’s wrong.
Anna Munden (Scout), Gabriel Scott (Jem) and Dylan Malyn (Dill) play the three children whose eyes we view the story from. Their purity is put to the test as they are exposed to the institutional racism and oppression in their own community and begin to learn valuable life lessons. As joint narrators, Sorkin’s unique script includes fourth-wall breaking moments and acknowledgement of the story beats we are being presented with.
Speaking of, the play reinterprets the structure as we flashback and forth to various story beats which definitely put an interesting new spin on the well-known material. And was helped by phenomenal stage craft from props, scenery and lighting.
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Oscar Pearce has the unenviable task of playing the main villain but he instils the character with the appropriate foulness given the extreme racism and bigoted views on show.
Up against him is Aaron Shosanya as Tom Robinson, the man on trial for his life. Shosanya’s brilliantly delivered court speech was a powerhouse moment. The auditorium was absolute silent as the actor gave a first-class and emotional performance. Ironically, stepping into Brock Peters’ very big acting shoes with aplomb.
Also of note was Evie Hargreaves as Mayella, the accusing daughter. The actress was astounding playing the damaged girl with a dysfunctional family dynamic, and also added more complex layers to the obvious inherited bigotry of the character.
An interesting spin in this version was Calpurnia, the Finch’s family housemaid. Here, Andrea Davy explores a much more discerning role and she excels by giving the character more depth and agency. There are also additional moments she gets to shine with her astute personal observations as the drama revolves and swirls around her.
There’s not enough time here to compliment everyone but suffice to say the whole supporting cast were exceptional in their varied roles. Some delivered laughter-filled comedy moments, others passionate speeches, whilst some had the difficult task of balancing nasty attributes with poignant reflection.
In the end, To Kill A Mockingbird is a truly magnificent take on the material and buzzed with a stupendous group of actors working in harmony to bring the play and its profound themes alive. You’ll leave the show not just entertained, but you’ll walk out with a heck of a lot to feel in your heart and plenty to think about in your head.
★★★★★
Michael Sales
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD AT CURVE LEICESTER
Tue 28 Oct - Sat 1 Nov 2025
Age guidance: 12+. Running time: 2 hours and 47 minutes (including a 20 minute interval)
warnings: This production contains racially explicit language, themes and content and references to sexual abuse and violence. There will be brief gunfire audio in the performance.
https://www.curveonline.co.uk/whats-on/shows/to-kill-a-mockingbird
ACCESS PERFORMANCES
British Sign Language (BSL) Interpreted: Wed 29 Oct, 7.30pm
Captioned: Thu 30 Oct, 7.30pm
