Death of England: Delroy at Soho Place

The emotive and engrossing Death of England series, which plays in rep at Soho Place, continues with Delroy. We are introduced to the character from the perspective of his best friend Michael in the first instalment. Now we witness Delroy ourselves, as he too questions his identity and belonging in 2020s Britain. 

Delroy (Paapa Essiedu) embodies a host of contradictions. Employed as a bailiff, he is unapologetic about how he earns his income and unsympathetic to the members of his working-class, Black community that he has evicted. He wants to feel “English” but the country he calls home is constantly failing him – his fiery spirit gradually being extinguished despite his attempts to embrace British society.

After being arrested and put on a tag Delroy loses both his job and his sense of purpose. Detained by the police, he should be at the birth of his child with Carly, sister of Michael. Instead, he is forced to question not only his current predicament but his place in the world and existence in general. Racial profiling, as for many Black people, is a sad facet of life for Delroy. His arrest allows him to come to the realisation that being Black in Britain, and an awareness of the country’s politics, go hand in hand. Delroy’s arrest also encourages him to examine his girlfriend’s “white privilege”, his exclusion from society – which doesn’t view him as truly English – his surprising vote for Brexit and the casual racism he simply accepts as part of the English working-class landscape.

There is a great deal to digest here, and writers Clint Dyer and Roy Williams refuse to shy away from exploring hard-hitting themes in an honest and authentic way. The 100 minutes breeze by at a high tempo, thanks to both the sharp script – which balances colloquial dialogue with the more lyrical and poetic – and Essiedu’s charged performance. As with Michael, Delroy is an extremely complex, multi-layered individual. Essiedu injects a magnetic energy into the role, embellishing the humour of his character while exposing his raw vulnerability. Interacting with the audience and veering into impressive improvisation on occasion, the actor pulls us into Delroy’s world and presents an intriguing, enigmatic character who we quickly believe in.

Audience members of colour will find a great deal to relate to here, while white spectators will receive a refreshingly honest depiction of the Black experience in current-day Britain. More polemical than Michael, this second chapter packs an even greater punch while capitalising on its character-driven comedy. Powerful and perceptive, the production prompts us to ruminate on its many observations as we vacate the theatre. We look forward to meeting Delroy’s mother and girlfriend Carly in the final episode later this summer.

Jonathan Marshall
Photos: Helen Murray

Death of England: Delroy is at Soho Place from 23^rd July until 28^th September 2024. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

Watch the trailer for Death of England: Delroy at Soho Place here: