Evanna Lynch

Danny and The Human Zoo had a big named attached to it in the form of Lenny Henry who served as both writer and supporting actor. The ninety minute feature focused on Henry's first flushes of fame and his attempts to the rather racist landscape of 1970s Dudley. Danny (Kascion Franklin), is the dramatic version of the young Henry; who was regularly abused for the colour of his skin but found his voice by impersonating other people. At some points Danny and The Human Zoo resembled the stereotypical biopic as we saw Danny's struggles with his family, the bullies and the unscrupulous entertainment industry. However the fact Henry was writing the script meant that everything felt authentic and he made you sympathise with several of the key characters. The latter part of the drama painted Danny in an incredibly sympathetic light as he was forced to be part of a touring version of The Black and White Minstrel Show something that he hated doing. Danny's lowest moments were excellently scripted and ended with a rather poignant moment in which Henry got to write the conversation that he never had with his own father. The only element of the drama which I felt was a little weak were the moments that dealt with Danny's love life namely his relationship with a possessive Irish barmaid (Evanna Lynch) and the potential romance he could have with his neighbour Cherry (Leonie Elliot). While he wrote an enjoyable script I think that Henry's best contribution to the piece was his performance as his own father Samson. His turn as the quietly stoic patriarch of the Fearon clan was possibly the drama's best and made me hope that we see Henry in more serious roles in the future. Also worthy of praise is Franklin who perfectly anchored the drama with a performance that allowed the audience to sympathise with Danny's various personal traumas. Although there was very little new about it, I really enjoyed Danny and The Human Zoo and felt it was perfectly scheduled on Bank Holiday Monday. Ultimately this was a biographical drama that was full of heart, humour and one that was bolstered by a well-paced script and a fantastic central turn.