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Rockets and Blue Lights
On the set of a new film about Victorian artist J.M.W. Turner, young actress Lou is haunted by an unresolved history. Meanwhile, in 1840, Londoners Lucy and Thomas try to come to terms with the meaning of freedom. Moving between London past and present, Winsome Pinnock's astonishing play retells British history through the prism of the slave trade. Fusing fact with fiction, and the powerfully personal with the fiercely political, Rockets and Blue Lights asks who owns our past – and who has the right to tell its stories? Winner of the 2018 Alfred Fagon Award, the play opened at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, in 2020, directed by Miranda Cromwell. It transferred to the National Theatre, London, in 2021.
77 pages, Paperback
Published April 5, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 20, 2024
I'm fairly sure this would play very well - but it's difficult to grasp on a first read-through, with the two separate timelines and the doubling of characters. I wouldn't be surprised to learn this was inspired by the movie version of The French Lieutenant’s Woman, since the set-up of a contemporary actress enacting a role in a historical film and the two coming together thematically is prevalent here as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1Do_...
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=437...
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/202...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1Do_...
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=437...
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/202...
August 29, 2022
This is totally brilliant. It's breathtakingly theatrical, but more than that, it treats the legacy of slavery in the UK with whip-smart intelligence. The play begins with the following note: "The slave trade was ended in 1807, but slavery wasn't properly abolished until 1838, and may have continued beyond that." Written like that, it seems obvious. Did the slave trade continue after 1838? And if it did, where might it have continued?
Rockets and Blue Lights also manages to be a rich and fascinating exploration of J.M.W. Turner, the impact of the stories we tell – both from the old to the young and from the young to the old – and the obsession with the white savior. This is a completely brilliant play with a powerful, heartrending finale.
Rockets and Blue Lights also manages to be a rich and fascinating exploration of J.M.W. Turner, the impact of the stories we tell – both from the old to the young and from the young to the old – and the obsession with the white savior. This is a completely brilliant play with a powerful, heartrending finale.
March 10, 2025
brilliant
May 21, 2021
An excellent play - I can't stress this enough.
Pinnock is masterful in how she weaves the past and present, illustrating how although slavery was 'abolished', it, and the maltreatment of black people never ended.
Rockets and Blue Lights addresses white saviourism, the misconception that the white working class share the same struggles as black people, how major motion pictures downplay the atrocities of slavery/erase the stories of our ancestors etc. I also peeped Pinnock's commentary on how the (white) general public love and empathise with sci-fi/fantasy stories that allegorise oppression, but are less willing to accept reality: that black people still experience said marginalisation.
Excellent.
Pinnock is masterful in how she weaves the past and present, illustrating how although slavery was 'abolished', it, and the maltreatment of black people never ended.
Rockets and Blue Lights addresses white saviourism, the misconception that the white working class share the same struggles as black people, how major motion pictures downplay the atrocities of slavery/erase the stories of our ancestors etc. I also peeped Pinnock's commentary on how the (white) general public love and empathise with sci-fi/fantasy stories that allegorise oppression, but are less willing to accept reality: that black people still experience said marginalisation.
Excellent.
September 27, 2022
This is good and tries to reckon with many of the topics I also am trying to teach to theatre students about history, the ethics and effects of representation, and the status of art. The moments when different time period overlap and mix with each other are great. The rest of this is plot summary for myself to remember, so feel free to ignore--
Two major plots: Lou is a Black actress who's "made it" enough to move from the UK to the US (as the captain of a Star Trek-esque show!) but is back to play the role of the enslaved Olu across from an old JMW Turner. The scenes about the film really nicely dovetail with the plays about representation I already teach in Drama of Diversity: Trouble in Mind (Alice Childress) and Yankee Dawg You Die (Philip Kan Gotanda).
And then there are the scenes in 1840, definitely NOT in the movie version being made in 2007, of free Black people in Britain, the continuing stakes of imperial sea trade, and JMW's wayward, dissolute ways. A few beautiful poetic passages near the end of the play, and some great conundra for viewers and actors to chew on.
Two major plots: Lou is a Black actress who's "made it" enough to move from the UK to the US (as the captain of a Star Trek-esque show!) but is back to play the role of the enslaved Olu across from an old JMW Turner. The scenes about the film really nicely dovetail with the plays about representation I already teach in Drama of Diversity: Trouble in Mind (Alice Childress) and Yankee Dawg You Die (Philip Kan Gotanda).
And then there are the scenes in 1840, definitely NOT in the movie version being made in 2007, of free Black people in Britain, the continuing stakes of imperial sea trade, and JMW's wayward, dissolute ways. A few beautiful poetic passages near the end of the play, and some great conundra for viewers and actors to chew on.
February 14, 2023
"memories survive the centuries"
this is the lasting message of this play. the ghosts of our ancestors will remain, guiding and teaching and echoing through our lives.
my favourite part of this play was the intertwining of 'modern day' (2006) and the past. the intertwining of the film and reality, the scenes where you're not quite sure whats real and what is imagined.
the physicality of the national theatre 2021 production is wonderful. the moment when the water began to swarm onto the stage as lucy mourned and screamed for her husband was so powerful.
"tell him that we do not want him to forget. tell him that we need him to remember"
this is the lasting message of this play. the ghosts of our ancestors will remain, guiding and teaching and echoing through our lives.
my favourite part of this play was the intertwining of 'modern day' (2006) and the past. the intertwining of the film and reality, the scenes where you're not quite sure whats real and what is imagined.
the physicality of the national theatre 2021 production is wonderful. the moment when the water began to swarm onto the stage as lucy mourned and screamed for her husband was so powerful.
"tell him that we do not want him to forget. tell him that we need him to remember"
February 19, 2021
A hard hitting and vital piece of theatre. This play allows space for the hypocrisies and fallacies of the widely accepted British abolitionist myth whilst giving voice to those whose lives have been directly impacted by the white supremacist crimes of slavery and systemic racism. The way in which Pinnock melds time, place and characters feels like the impressionistic, atmospheric style of Turner’s paintings; a brilliant reflection and reversal of the play’s themes and subject, executed with incredible precision.
June 2, 2022
In Rockets and Blue Lights, Pinnock uses character doubling and merged timelines in her story to not only emphasize that the trauma of the slave trade continues to have an impact on the Black community but also to force the audience to reckon with the reality of generational trauma. I think the overall play was fascinating and was a very important read. I would definitely recommend this play and would read it again.
May 14, 2023
There’s power in this piece. History repeats itself again and again in this tale of two times. White saviourism vs the exhaustion of the ongoing struggle for voices to be acknowledged and told is hard hitting.
Much to unpack in this nuanced story of people past and present. Only wish I’d of seen it!
Much to unpack in this nuanced story of people past and present. Only wish I’d of seen it!
March 19, 2024
I definitely think this is one of those plays you should see and not read. The changing timelines were most confusing, especially the more blurred the lines get between them. All in all it was really impactful and I can really see the audience leaving this play with a head full of thoughts and a heart full of anguish.
December 25, 2020
‘I have lived and died ten million times’.
February 3, 2021
An incredible historiographical play, which delves into the legacy of slavery.
August 15, 2021
Brilliantly folds time to reckon with history. Can't wait to see it staged.
March 11, 2022
maybe i am just stupid but i just straight up did not like this play.
February 22, 2023
I'm completely in awe of this play and cannot form a review worthy of it at present. Currently still catching my breath. Wow.
October 22, 2025
One of the best plays I've ever read
October 25, 2025
Fantastic. Pls read it. i feel like this belongs in the same category of brilliance as Toni Morrison's Beloved.
April 7, 2025
Okay, I'll give it a 3.5 rating... Thomas and Lucy's interaction made my heart ache.
THOMAS. Every time we remember that the love is a real thing between us, then your boy lives.
THOMAS. Every time we remember that the love is a real thing between us, then your boy lives.
March 9, 2022
#RocketsandBlueLights by Winsome Pinnock
wow!
HARD HITTING . HARROWING . BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED . TIMELESS . NECESSARY . IMPACTFUL . THOUGHT PROVOKING . URGENT
Last night I was lucky enough to go and see 'Rockets and Blue Lights' with The National Theatre and my goodness I was moved!
This play makes space for the necessary questions about the British abolitionist myth that was widely accepted and creates an even bigger space for the voices and stories of those whose lives were (and still are) impacted, to be told.
Through humour, shock and tears, this play addresses things like white saviourism, the misconception that the white working class share the same struggles as black people, how major motion pictures not only downplay/erase the severity of the original sin of slavery and usually need a white male Hollywood lead to be made and the barbarity of laws needing to exist that state that black people should be treated ...as people?!?!
Told across two timelines that take place hundreds of years apart, through a voice that will stay through the ages, it truly is a testament (although I'm not sure how good of a thing this is) to the resilience of black people through all we've had to go through with mention of events like the New Cross and Grenfell Tower fires and people such as Yaa Asantewaa, Yvonne Ruddock, David Oluwale, Sam Sharpe, Kelso Cochrane and Stephen Lawrence. “Pull your trigger. I am not afraid of death. I have lived and died ten million times. And I will live and live again... ”
This play will stay with me for a long time.
It was beautifully done and I'm so grateful for it's existence!
wow!
HARD HITTING . HARROWING . BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED . TIMELESS . NECESSARY . IMPACTFUL . THOUGHT PROVOKING . URGENT
Last night I was lucky enough to go and see 'Rockets and Blue Lights' with The National Theatre and my goodness I was moved!
This play makes space for the necessary questions about the British abolitionist myth that was widely accepted and creates an even bigger space for the voices and stories of those whose lives were (and still are) impacted, to be told.
Through humour, shock and tears, this play addresses things like white saviourism, the misconception that the white working class share the same struggles as black people, how major motion pictures not only downplay/erase the severity of the original sin of slavery and usually need a white male Hollywood lead to be made and the barbarity of laws needing to exist that state that black people should be treated ...as people?!?!
Told across two timelines that take place hundreds of years apart, through a voice that will stay through the ages, it truly is a testament (although I'm not sure how good of a thing this is) to the resilience of black people through all we've had to go through with mention of events like the New Cross and Grenfell Tower fires and people such as Yaa Asantewaa, Yvonne Ruddock, David Oluwale, Sam Sharpe, Kelso Cochrane and Stephen Lawrence. “Pull your trigger. I am not afraid of death. I have lived and died ten million times. And I will live and live again... ”
This play will stay with me for a long time.
It was beautifully done and I'm so grateful for it's existence!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews