20 July 2023

This new play by Gillian Slovo is reviewed by Adele Duncan, Occupational Therapist and Deputy Manager Neighbourhood Grenfell Health and Wellbeing Service.

"In all honesty, I was in two minds about going to see the Grenfell play. And I went with no expectation. But last night I was transported into Grenfell tower and relived that fatal night of 14  June 2017. From the moment the play started was I was gripped and captivated by the actor’s performance. Parts of the play was spine chilling especially because I know and work with some of the characters they were portraying.

Although to most it was just an ugly tower block, to those who lived there it was home. Within the tower was a community who looked out for each other and supported one another. It showed that the people of Grenfell were a resilient group, hardworking, loving, from diverse backgrounds and they loved it.

A character described watching the fire on TV and then looking out of his window and seeing the fire travelling up to his floor and not knowing what to do. Should he sit and watch the fire on TV or escape!

There was a story of a man who opened his door to leave and was immediately met with thick black smoke, out of nowhere a fireman appeared came into his flat and said, “stay put we will come back for you”, but the never did.

The disabled man with polio, who instructed his wife and children to leave without him, as he thought he would not make it out so waited to be rescued. When it dawned on him that no one was coming to rescue him he took the decision to escape. He fell several times and it was only when he made it to the first floor that help arrived.

The mother who was heavily pregnant but managed to make it out with her kids with help of firemen. Before she escaped she was on the phone to her husband, he was telling her to get out and also at the same time she could hear people outside shouting, “get out”.

The character with his disabled wife, who refused to leave his wife behind, made me think about their commitment to each other, and that, he would rather die together than leave his wife behind.

One of the things that stuck out for me was that, people on the higher floors, were repeatedly told to stay put, even though after 2am Grenfell had been declared a major. But the emergency services were telling people to stay put. The total chaos of people trying to escape down the narrow stair case in pitch darkness, choking, tripping and falling over what they now know to be dead bodies.

Families separated and the desperation to find loved ones.

Initially when the play started the actors where all holding boxes, which they used as props. It was revealed that each surviving household was given a box containing items retrieved in the fire, for some, 30 years of memories in a box. Up to this day some survivors have not opened the box. It ended with short film showing the real characters and then the actors led us, the audience, out of the theatre quietly. It dawned on me it was actually a silent march.

Outside the Southbank, the National theatre was lit up in green and the cast was met with applause.

I am so proud to work with the Grenfell Health and Wellbeing service. I know now, even more why we do what we do and it is important we continue to be here to support the community."

The play is being shown at the National Theatre until 26 August. Visit their website for more details.