In the Jungle of the City attempts to portray the underbelly of modern day London. Alderson shows us a side of the city that we try to forget as we pass by the tramps sleeping in doorways, or the prostitutes on street corners. She gives us a glimpse of the individual stories behind the dilated eyes and down cast faces. The history of each of her characters builds up a montage of 'life on the street', how they were brought to their present state and how, even though they live in degradation, they still manage to keep their dignity. 
      Lily has come to London to be a nurse, Golda has a successful career and Mr Yamada is on business from Japan; each is slowly dragged, one by one, into a world of squalor and immorality. Their stories are intertwined with the inhabitants of this underworld, Scottie a tramp, and Rive a local 'madam', to reach a tragic conclusion.
      The montage presentation of In the Jungle... is over sentimental and badly constructed, which proves to be detrimental to the production. Its Dickensian view of London is out of place in its aim of commenting on contemporary issues. Eiji Kusuhara, manages a touching performance as a man in search of his disgraced daughter as does Jethro Skinner as the tramp who tries hard to escape his lot in life; together they raise the production out of its otherwise mediocre sphere. Overall the piece is conceptually good, yet any merit it may have had is lost in its sensational and sentimental aspects.
Elizabeth Shenton