Tambo & Bones review - 'I am still thinking back to the end' after Northampton show

I have to admit, I was a little taken aback to find a space in the foyer to help the audience relax and a message at the end to say people are welcome to stay to help them take everything in.

And the thoughts of aftercare were the furthest from my mind when a light-hearted comedy started between two excellent performers.

Tambo and Bones are trapped in a minstrel show, providing entertainment involving knife tricks and trying to get money out of the audience.

Both Clifford Samuel and Daniel Ward provide an absolute masterclass on stage. The facial expressions and comic timing make them extremely likeable, which is a good thing considering for the most part it’s just the two of them.

A word of warning that throughout the show, some of the language, while undoubtedly authentic, might be considered offensive and for me still hits the ear wrong.

The play then moves to the present day when the pair are a bunch of rappers. This is a section which still features some very effective storytelling with the two characters – one who wants to make society better for black people, the other who wants to make as much money out of the situation as possible.

It was only during the final act of the show that the reason for the warnings started to make sense. I shall avoid spoilers, but the end is one of the most shocking things I’ve seen in nearly two decades of watching professional theatre. Even writing the review now, I am still thinking back to the end and mulling over everything that happened.

This is a thought-provoking piece that probably won’t be to everybody’s taste. But it is a tribute to everyone involved that it will make you think about the show long after it has finished.

Until Saturday March 15. Call 01604 624811 or visit royaldnderngate.co.uk to book.