Abigel Lancaster
Minority Report is a sci-fi play which explores the conflict between a society which revolves around the elimination of crime, and each individual’s right to autonomy. Written by David Haig and loosely based on the short story by Philip K. Dick, the play has received critical acclaim. After having experienced it for myself at Nottingham Playhouse, it’s easy to see why. Everything about this play, from the incredible staging to the fast-paced action and witty dialogue, will leave you on the edge of your seat. Abigel Lancaster reviews.
Set in the year 1950, Minority Report begins with the protagonist Dame Julia Anderton (Jodie McNee) giving a speech celebrating the 10-year anniversary of her company Precrime: a technology able to predict when a person is going to commit a crime before they actually do so. But when she is found guilty of pre-murder, Julia is forced to go on the run and confront the flaws in the system that she created.
Jodie McNee’s compelling performance as Julia was one of the highlights of the play. Every minute detail in her body language reflected that this is a woman who has had every aspect of her belief system thrown into turmoil, and is utterly shaken to her core. The emotionally charged references to the murder of Julia’s twin sister Laura further reflect this sense of internal conflict, and serve as an explanation for Julia’s commitment to making sure Precrime survives.
the intricate set is an unsettling display of authoritarianism and dystopian future
Minority Report’s impressive staging creates an unforgettable spectacle, but also serves as a constant reminder of the sacrifices that come with a technology like Precrime. Having a protestor storm through the aisle angrily yelling Descartes’ famous ‘I think, therefore I am’ is our first sign that this society is not as utopian as Julia would have you believe, and this character of Fleming (Danny Collins) serves as the head of an underground resistance movement which advocates for the right to think freely without being imprisoned. From the self-driving taxi which requires Julia to reveal her identity, to the lasers and deafening sound that appear when a character is found guilty of pre-murder, the intricate set is an unsettling display of authoritarianism and dystopian future. The audience is forced to question whether a society without crime is worth violently suppressing natural human instinct.
At the heart of Minority Report is the concept that thoughts are not the same as actions and that equating the two is an infringement on individual liberties
It’s easy to see why Precrime seems like a good idea in theory – after all, who doesn’t want a society without crime? But throughout the play, we come to realise that the system is not infallible, and the ethical implications of finding a person guilty before they commit the actual crime leaves us with a lot of questions.
At the heart of Minority Report is the concept that thoughts are not the same as actions and that equating the two is an infringement on individual liberties. This is a realisation that Julia only has when she herself is put in the very same position that Precrime has placed countless others in – if she is given the opportunity to change her mind, doesn’t everyone have the same right? Having an angry or even occasionally violent thought is a natural part of human nature and very different to actually committing an act of violence – a concept emphasised by Ana’s (Roseanna Frascona) declaration that she thinks she should be allowed to imagine horrible deaths for her abusive ex-husband in her head, but that does not mean she would actually go through with it.
my personal favourite form of comic relief came from Julia’s exchanges with David, her AI assistant
Despite dealing with such complex and thought-provoking themes, Minority Report has plenty of humorous moments too. The interactions between Julia and her husband Sir George Anderton (Nick Fletcher), a very nervous and awkward character and a foil to Julia’s more commanding presence, frequently resulted in a chuckle from the audience. However, my personal favourite form of comic relief came from Julia’s exchanges with David (Tanvi Virmani), her AI assistant. The dynamic between these two is highly entertaining to watch – it’s interesting to see how Julia still gets frustrated with technology in spite of so much of life now revolving around it, and the lines where she threatens to boot David back into being Alexa or Siri are hilarious!
Overall, Minority Report is a superb production which allows you to examine your own thoughts and emotions, putting forward the dilemma of whether justice without liberty is really justice at all. In the final scene, Julia gives a speech which both mirrors and directly juxtaposes the one she gives at the beginning of the play, asking us whether the right to hate is just as great as the right to love. Minority Report is at Nottingham Playhouse until 9 March, and I would definitely recommend checking it out for an experience that is both thought-provoking and highly entertaining.
Abigel Lancaster
Featured image courtesy of Alex Watkin. Permission to use granted to Impact. No changes were made to this image.
In-article images courtesy of @nottmplayhouse via Instagram. No changes were made to these images.
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