By Sarah Becker
Dave Harris’s Tambo & Bones is a satirical exploration of African American stereotypes, delivered with exaggerated performances that often tread the line between parody and provocation.
When we first meet Tambo and Bones, played by Clifford Samuel and Daniel Ward, they are trapped in a set resembling a sun-scorched field. The imagery immediately evokes connotations of cotton-picking, forced labour, and the pursuit of wealth as a means of escape. Bones, (Daniel Ward), is obsessed with making money, while Tambo, (Clifford Samuel), weary, just wants to sleep. Their exaggerated grins and physical comedy highlight the historical “happy-go-lucky” minstrel stereotype, making the audience acutely aware of the racial caricatures being played out before them.
The duo’s word choices also felt intentional in evoking the archetypes rooted in African American history and culture. Tambo is ‘weary’ and Bones wants to make money – together they want an escape. The old spiritual song, ‘Dem Bones, dem Bones, dem dry Bones,” was subtly referenced, while even the casual direct address to the audience, “Y’all, seemed carefully placed.”
Realizing they need a more contemporary way to tell their story, the duo re-emerges as an old-school rap act. Now embodying the “gangster rapper” archetype—complete with gold chains and aspirations of winning a Grammy—Tambo and Bones satirize another familiar trope of Black success in America.
But by the third act, I lost my way. Despite the commitment of the actors, and the terrific robotic dancing of Dru Cripps and Jaron Lammens, the shift left me struggling to grasp the full meaning. I remained aware that I was being confronted with African American stereotypes, but the deeper commentary felt elusive.
Ultimately, Tambo & Bones was a bold, unconventional piece of theatre. It presented three wildly different settings, each challenging the audience’s perceptions of race, identity, and storytelling itself. Whether you embrace the confusion or resist it, the play refuses to let you sit comfortably.
Did I like it? I’m not so sure I liked all of it, and it won’t be to everyone’s taste – but it was a thought-provoking piece of theatre that left me wanting to fill in the gaps in my own interpretation.
The unexpected brilliance of the play is that it left you reflecting on the material you were presented with long after it had finished.
A co-production between Stratford East and Royal & Derngate, Tambo & Bones will be running at Northampton Royal & Derngate until Saturday 15th March.