Paul Farnsworth’s set has sliding partitions to turn the study bookcases into a railway station and later a bar with projected chants of the student protestors to divert us during the set changes.  During the first scene Nichols has showed his age in disrespect for his students in describing them as “babies” and saying that they come to lectures wearing pyjamas!

The acting is exceptional. Julian Ovendon’s academic sheltering from the real world, the hesitation of Tanya Franks’ Amy Katz to show leadership, the earnestness of Katie Bernstein’s Maggie Rosen in proposing her SSM, the curiously named “Safe space meeting” and the resentment of Michael Benz as Lucas Poole and Giles Terera’s friendly approach as Baxter Forrest.  I liked too the cameo from Georgia Landers as the FBI agent sent to investigate the potential for hate crime. 

The set times of the play will loop back and forth with shocking revelations a critic shouldn’t reveal as the dirt is dished on most characters and a tragedy inflames the situation.  It is a shame that the Carver character whom we never meet is obviously one promoting hatred and anti-semitism rather than some of the personalities unplatformed recently in the UK; I’m thinking JK Rowling and Germaine Greer denied the opportunity to make their case. 

Paul Grellong could not hope for a better director than Dominic Dromgoole to give his play its platform and I welcome the opportunity Power of Sail gives towards the discussion of free speech and cancel culture.