Rising East Online

Review: Terrifying Sport

Sabina Hussain

‘Gladiator Games’
Ray Panthaki & Tom McKay (as Zahid Mubarek and Robert Stewart)
Photo: Johan Persson

The title of the play, Gladiator Games, comes from the sport allegedly played by prison officers in which they set up cellmates to do battle with each other, and place bets on the outcome.

The play is based on real events. Nearly six years ago Zahid Mubarek was sentenced to 90 days’ imprisonment for stealing razorblades worth £6 and interfering with a car. He was placed in Cell 38 in Feltham Young Offenders’ Institute, along with repeat offender and known-racist Robert Stewart. A month later, on 21^st March, Stewart picked up a table leg and battered Mubarek with it. He died due to his injuries seven days later. In 2004, (then) home secretary David Blunkett finally announced a public inquiry into the death of Mubarek. The inquiry will make its report in 2006.

Playwright Tanika Gupta follows the events leading to Zahid’s death, and his family’s struggle for justice. In gripping fashion, the dramatisation succeeds in raising questions about the death of Zahid Mubarek: why was he placed in a cell with a violent racist, who even wrote a letter saying that he was going to kill Zahid? Was this done on purpose? Was it an example of so-called Gladiator Games?

In the play’s premiere at Stratford, five actors play all 10 roles. Tom McKay gave a chilling performance as Robert Stewart, offering insights into the mind of a violent racist and showing that he too was the victim of a system that ignored his mental health problems. Ray Panthaki was outstanding as Zahid – so innocent and vulnerable, but versatile enough to double-up in another role as Zahid’s uncle, Imtiaz. The set was stark and simple, with lighting designed to focus on each character in turn.

The play concludes that more than one person was guilty of Zahid’s death: not only Stewart but also the prison officers who seem to have abandoned their duty of care for prisoners. Gladiator Games also made me wonder why it took so long before the home secretary agreed to hold a public inquiry. The finale of this terrific drama will not come until we hear its conclusions.

Gladiator Games opened in November 2005 at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, London E15. It returns to Theatre Royal from Thursday 2^nd February to Saturday 25^th February 2006.

Sabina Hussain is studying Journalism

Return to top

---

© 2004·06