Case Number: 2 star review by Jenny Williams

By Jenny Williams
|
21st Aug 2014
|
★★

Case Number, from young London-based theatre company Tea and Toast productions, seeks to raise awareness about the shockingly low number of rapists that are convicted through the UK legal system, as well as the dehumanising effect the legal process has on victims.

Currently, Case Number is a highly sensationalised and unlikely courtroom drama.

Jenna Russell, a university student who dances in a club to pay her way through school and support her mother, has been raped by one of the customers of the club. Focusing mainly on the court case to convict Jenna’s rapist, Case Number also depicts the medical examination that victims are subjected to and includes flashbacks to elaborate on Jenna’s background and life.

Tea and Toast Productions have good intentions with Case Number, but rape is a topic that needs to be handled extremely carefully and sensitively on stage. Currently, Case Number is a highly sensationalised and unlikely courtroom drama. There are a lot of very important issues being addressed by Tea and Toast: the rape of sex workers, the credibility of sex workers in court, whether or not sex work can be feminist, as well as the stated aims of criticising the legal system and process. Unfortunately, in a production of only 45 minutes, none of these issues can be explored in depth or with nuance and instead we end up with a superficial melodrama.

There is a genuine attempt to symbolically portray both the number of women harmed in the legal system and the disassociating effect rape has on a victim, by having Jenna played by a variety of actresses over the course of the play. The medical examination Jenna is subjected to after her rape is genuinely distressing, but again, the doctors performing the examination are portrayed as ridiculously cold to unnecessarily ramp up the drama.

Human rights theatre is an honorable task and the young company should be commended for their attempt to confront a shocking statistic. However, as it stands, Case Number suffers from its overreaching and is unable to make any of its arguments convincingly.

Reviews by Jenny Williams

theSpace @ Symposium Hall

Nightpiece Film Festival

★★

Royal Oak

Yeti

★★★

theSpace on the Mile

Inevitable

★★★★

Summerhall

Alison Jackson: A Story in the Public Domain

★★

Spotlites @ The Merchants' Hall

Case Number

★★

theSpace @ Surgeons Hall

Flight of the Lawnchair Man

★★★

Since you’re here…

… we have a small favour to ask. We don't want your money to support a hack's bar bill at Abattoir, but if you have a pound or two spare, we really encourage you to support a good cause. If this review has either helped you discover a gem or avoid a turkey, consider doing some good that will really make a difference.

You can donate to the charity of your choice, but if you're looking for inspiration, there are three charities we really like.

Show me the charities

Mama Biashara
Kate Copstick’s charity, Mama Biashara, works with the poorest and most marginalised people in Kenya. They give grants to set up small, sustainable businesses that bring financial independence and security. That five quid you spend on a large glass of House White? They can save someone’s life with that. And the money for a pair of Air Jordans? Will take four women and their fifteen children away from a man who is raping them and into a new life with a moneymaking business for Mum and happiness for the kids.
Donate to Mama Biashara now

Theatre MAD
The Make A Difference Trust fights HIV & AIDS one stage at a time. Their UK and International grant-making strategy is based on five criteria that raise awareness, educate, and provide care and support for the most vulnerable in society. A host of fundraising events, including Bucket Collections, Late Night Cabarets, West End Eurovision, West End Bares and A West End Christmas continue to raise funds for projects both in the UK and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Donate to Theatre MAD now

Acting For Others
Acting for Others provides financial and emotional support to all theatre workers in times of need through the 14 member charities. During the COVID-19 crisis Acting for Others have raised over £1.7m to support theatre workers affected by the pandemic.
Donate to Acting For Others now

Performances

Location

The Blurb

Introducing Case Number, a new play which bravely attempts to shatter the patriarchal shame culture that surrounds sexual assault against women. Miss Russell, a mere number, is forced to relive the trauma of her assault through the biased legal system in an attempt to reclaim her identity. Alone she faces the reality that only 1% of rapists get convicted. Human rights theatre at its most hard-hitting yet beautiful.