Big White Fog

Jenny Jules as Ella, photographer Catherine Ashmore

Big White Fog – Theodore Ward’s play about a black family struggling to survive the American Depression – may have been written in 1937 but this utterly transportative revival ensures that it still resonates today.

Under the careful direction of Almeida’s Artistic Director Michael Attenborough every last detail transports us back to the 1920’s.

Throughout the play there are moral battles being fought, won and lost.

Ward  was clearly a master of character development and knew his characters intimately.
As a result they are all well rounded , believable – and, crucially, the actors’ portrayals do them justice.

In Act I we begin to relate to the characters and watch their stories unfold. In Acts II and III we are completely immersed in their lives. By the end there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.


Vic ( Danny Sapani ) believes that freedom awaits in Africa and that Gaveryism the path in which to find it. Against the scepticism of his family, he fights for what he believes in : to free black people from the incarceration and prejudice of white America.

 Uncle Dan ( Tony Armatrading ) capitalist and money focussed reckons that his home is in America and the way to survive the system is to join in and get rich.

Jenny Jules as Ella, is exceptional, particularly in the second half when we see her breakdown as she realises the fate of her family

Lester ( Tunji Kasim )  is the doting son. Believing in his father’s views, we see him turn from an excited teenager to a young man – turned down for a university scholarship for being ‘negro’.
 Like his father he recognises that there’s no future for black people in America.  But, he saves money by working for Uncle Dan, goes  to college and finds a way to fight his own battles by joining the ‘reds’.


The set design by Jonathan Fensom was completely naturalistic and became – apart from a few ‘shaky doors’  -  a wonderful backdrop to the drama.


This is a powerful piece of theatre which manages to convey both a personal and political message, and the complexities of family relationships.

Isobel Diamond

Until June 30th

Almeida Theatre,  Almeida Street, N1 1TA

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