I will start this review with a simple generalisation: no one looks good under green lighting. So when I entered the space (walking across the stage, passing a preset actor fighting for her life to focus on the craft of acting amid countless distractions), I was pleasantly surprised to see the subtle use of green balanced with a warm natural light as to not obscure the actors, while still creating a general sense of unease. The lighting, set, and costume designs were the standout of this show; cohesively telling a full story while efficiently and cleverly using the limited tools at their disposal in a black box space.
Unfortunately, the story told by the design team was lost in the writing.
“Bella and Wendy have done something terrible. Bella worries that Wendy has more planned. Detective Josie James is growing increasingly suspicious. But, as things soon begin to spiral out of everyone's control except, seemingly, Wendy's, it becomes apparent that the wheels are already in motion for something more harrowing than we could have ever imagined.”
This is the promise set forth by the synopsis of Noah McCreadie’s The Glass House at the Lion and Unicorn theatre. Unfortunately, this is where the clarity stops. The recent resurgence of in-yer-face theatre (a theatre movement pioneered by giants such as María Irene Fornés, Sarah Kane, and Philip Ridley) has taken the off-West End and black box scene by storm. It has offered an experimental space for emerging playwrights looking to break free of often contrived theatrical conventions and seeks to affect the audience in compelling and frequently shocking ways. However, The Glass House seems to have never progressed past concept.
Though the vestiges of inspiration from Kane and Fornés can certainly be felt in this play, the lack of character motivation and stakes made for a meandering and convoluted script. This leaves the audience asking why every event happens, blindly groping through the world of the play with a script that refuses to present a legible roadmap.
What makes in-yer-face theatre work so well and compelling to watch are the central themes upon which the pieces rest. The point of view and socio-political messaging of in-yer-face theatre must be ever present and highlighted not just by the dramatic events of the play, but by the structure of the play itself. The Glass House, unfortunately loses its audience because it loses its sense of self.
The language, though highly naturalistic, did little to clue the audience into the relatively stagnant events of the play. The events that did unfold were seemingly random, dark for darkness’ sake, and disjointed. Based on synopsis alone, I wanted so much to like this play. However, the content of the script failed to deliver on the promise of the premise. The play was well acted, but the capabilities of the actors far outshone the words on the page.
The Glass House runs at the Lion and Unicorn Theatre until 23rd November - for more information and tickets, you can follow the link here.
⭐️⭐️ (2*)
Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | photography by Framed Duck Studio
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