'Human Jam' review or 'Do you think it'll stick?'

Human Jam, Brian Logan 
Camden People's Theatre, 9th May 2019
Written for The Guardian 

Sixty-three thousand. That’s how many bodies are being exhumed from St James’s Park, just down the road from Camden People’s theatre in central London. Schools, pubs and hotels are being closed and residents relocated – all to make way for the new high-speed railway, HS2. The issue has affected Camden throughout Guardian journalist Brian Logan’s tenure as artistic director of the venue, and now he’s made a show about it. It’s a curious hybrid that combines docu-theatre, ghost stories and community activism and only truly comes alive when the local community are, quite literally, given a voice.

The first section is a relatively restrained (though thoroughly researched) lecture, which allows Logan to efficiently sketch in the salient information regarding HS2, including the fact that 80% of the required demolition is taking place in Camden. There are kooky slide shows, sly digs at HS2’s woeful advertising campaign and frequent winks from Logan out to the audience, as he describes his efforts to “dig deeper” into the HS2 construction (destruction?) project.

Despite Logan’s puppyish enthusiasm – and he seems particularly excited about becoming a volunteer and infiltrating the local exhumation project – these early scenes feel a touch too controlled. Where’s the heart and urgency? But just as the energy is ebbing, Becky-Dee Trevenen’s spare set sparks into life with dramatic blackouts and blown fuses and Shamira Turner (from Little Bulb Theatre) revives the spirits of local souls, all recently exhumed. Turner judders as she plays one ghost to the next – a local revolutionary (Thomas Spence), slave turned boxer (Bill Richmond) an auctioneer (James Christie) – and the atmosphere thickens, as Camden’s rich history takes its hold on us.

There are still wobbles. Repeating meta-theatrical gags, in which Logan expresses doubts about his show, risk derailing this protest project. They’re clever but indulgent. The local figures revitalise the show: a restaurant owner, singer and activist – to name but a few – share their experiences and, with backing music from Logan and Turner, begin to sing. Such focus. Such heart. Such character. And so much to lose.