The Land Acknowledgement or As You Like It, an excruciating one-man show by Indigenous Canadian actor and playwright Cliff Cardinal, originated with a brilliant idea. During its first run at Crow’s Theatre in Toronto, it was titled simply As You Like It, and audiences arrived thinking they were attending a Shakespeare play. What they got instead was a land acknowledgement that lasted for the full duration, leaving Shakespeare nowhere to found.

A land acknowledgement, for those who haven’t come across one, is a short speech (and sometimes ritual) with which Canadians preface performances and civic ceremonies. It names the tribes whose land the venue occupies — and acknowledges that this is a literal occupation. The audience at Cardinal’s As You Like It were expecting a rote statement of about a minute’s duration before the play began. Instead they were treated to a monologue about indigenous suffering, land rights, and the perils of performative allyship.

Unfortunately for Cardinal, his play does not transpose quite so well to London; not least because he’s forced to explain all of this before the show can even begin. The element of surprise is lacking, and the revolutionary verve of the idea is sapped by explanation. What remains is a polemic, perhaps more at home at the Edinburgh Fringe than in a London theatre.

Less funny and less shocking than his delivery would suggest, the performance can be difficult at times. However, there is no question that the subject matter is important. And in the moments when Cardinal allows his mask to slip, displaying true emotion and speaking from his own experience, there is something moving to be found here too.

Playing at the Queen Elizabeth Hall’s Purcell Room at London’s Southbank Centre, 5 – 9 June 2024.