Advance Review: Small Axe: Mangrove Is A Powerful Debut For New Anthology Series

Amazon kicks off the first episode of Steve McQueen’s anthology series, Small Axe with “Mangrove”. The first of five stories, “Mangrove” debuts tomorrow, November 20. It is a powerful premiere that delves into history that may not be as well known.

“Mangrove” opens with Frank Crichlow (Shaun Parkes) getting ready to open his new restaurant, Mangrove. After previous negative encounters with police, caused mainly by his former ventures, Frank is hoping to serve the locals in Notting Hill and get a new start. The police, with their preconceived notions, seem to have other ideas. Frank’s establishment becomes home to police raid after police raid and the black community decides to take a stand and hold a peaceful protest.

As things escalate, Frank, along with Black Panther activists Altheia Jones-LeCointe (Letitia Wright), Darcus Howe (Malachi Kirby), and six others find themselves wrongfully arrested for “inciting a riot”. The episode follows the tension from within the courtroom and the racial tension that grips the English country as the trio tries to defend their innocence against a corrupt judicial system.

McQueen once again delivers a beautifully strong project that brings to life an untold story of an important moment in history, in this case the Mangrove Nine. The Mangrove Nine were nine British black activists tried for inciting a riot in the 1970s. Aside from a documentary released a few years later, this story has remained relatively untouched by the entertainment industry. However, this episode will change all of that. McQueen not only utilizes the talented acting to tell his story, but his set design and cinematography help draw out the intensity of scenes and highlight the importance they have to the story.

The casting on this episode is outstanding. From Shaun Parkes beautiful portrayal of Mangrove owner Frank Crichlow to Letitia Wright’s phenomenal performance as activist Altheia Jones-LeCointe, there is not a mediocre performance in the bunch. Each actor brings their best to every single scene and they deliver performances that not only do the Mangrove nine justice but will leave people talking about it for months.

If “Mangrove” is proof of anything, it is the fact that the issues portrayed in the episode are still issues society is dealing with, almost 50 years later. And while improvement has been made, there are still leaps and bounds to go.