After The Applause

A HAUNTING STUDY ON THE FUTURE THAT LEAVES THE AUDIENCE ON THE EDGE OF THEIR SEATS TAKES THE STAGE AT THE ROYAL COURT…

More Life is billed as a Dystopian, Gothic Horror Play focusing on the advancements of technology and people’s addiction with needing extended lives, to be eternal essentially. It sounds like a fascinating concept and in such a small theatre it may sound a challenge to take such a subject and captivate the audience, but Kadinsky theatre company and this small group of actors certainly grasp the audiences imaginations, enhancing all the beauty of Lauren Mooney and James Yeatman’s ever twisting, complicated script and putting on a superb production!

Upon making your way into Jerwood Upstairs you are greeted with Shanko Chaudhuri’s intimate and brilliant set. There are microphones darted around the place, holes in the walls, various lighting rigs dotted around the place. Paired with Zac Gvirtzman’s distorted, twisted music you are certainly greeted with a Gothic atmosphere.

The actors make their way onto stage and we are immediately plunged into darkness. Lighting is something , I always say, is important for a play to succeed, with the right lighting you can convey the feeling of the play even without any sort of direction. Ryan Joseph Stafford designs absolutely sensational lighting, some of the best I have seen. it works so so well and it really helps the story flow and works well with the twist that they have taken in presenting the ensemble cast.

I have to say the writing is fantastic, there are never any plot holes left unfilled and all the characters are accomplished and fully understood throughout the course of the play. The themes it tackles are hard hitting and make you reflect on the future and what could happen, whether Mooney and Yeatman’s idea of ‘More Life’ could actually become a reality..

The whole cast are super, they multirole, they make shapes with their bodies, they create an eerie gothic soundscape to begin the play. However they also take each of their main characters and bring it to life, especially Alison Halstead as Bridget and Tim McMullan as her elderly husband Harry. Marc Elliot is our futuristic Frankenstein attempting to resurrect the mind of Bridget (Alison Halstead), these attempts are realised beautifully by our ensemble via use of microphones and physical theatre.

MY VERDICT:

This new play is super, it’s a message of hope and of warning to the future and whilst it is warm and wildly interesting it haunts you as an audience member. Mooney and Yeatman’s plot is brought to life in spectacular fashion with direction by Yeatman himself but mainly by this sensational cast!

My standout performers are Alison Halstead, Tim McMullan and Danusia Samal

More Life runs at the Jerwood Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre in London until the 8th of March. I definitely recommend this play to everyone because it truly is super!