I do enjoy a review.
It's pretty easy to review something you've enjoyed.. much harder if something fails to deliver what you hoped for
This is one of those times.
I'll start with the positives
One highlight was the fact that Ben Okri was in attendance, standing tall at the door it was nice to see hime there.
The stage management was stylish and slick in its raw simplicity, and the stage lighting wonderfully effective.
I had fun, but to be honest the play itself... was a bit of a bore from start to finish.
I understand why Ben felt that the Coronet was an ideal setting for his adaptation, but as I tried to squeeze 33inch legs.. ok.. 32, behind the tiny space In front of the seat... I had to disagree.
As my knees jammed against the seat in front, I did my best to block out my tingling nerve endings and focus on the play.
A play which was too long, with a narrative too slow.
The protagonist was droll. His voice failed to capture the real essence intended... which was a feeling of 'emptiness... un-belonging...un-knowing'
The actor did well to keep that going all night to be fair :).
I was jolted awake mid way when the play reached a crushendo... the sound of gunshot.(had i been transported to Croydon??..nope, phew...we were still in 'Algeria')
Then, realising a long drawn out court hearing was to ensue in the 2nd half, ... my legs twitched again... I stood up.. stretched, sat back down, then dozed.
lol!
Lord have mercy.
This. play was touted as a existential story , one which would have us leaving with many questions.
Yet the only question I really left with, other than 'are the trains still running' was.... 'I wonder what Ben made of it... and is he still awake back there!
Don't just take my word for it...(Ben is a don after all) if your legs aren't as long ...go see for yourself... perhaps I missed something
Heading home, I said to myself.. huh.. I was hoping to witness an existential crisis... then I thought.. Dawna... you are the existential crisis lol
The Outsider (L’Étranger), is showing at The Print Room at the Coronet
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