GLAD TO BE DEAD? at the Hen and Chickens Theatre

★★

“It’s an impressive feat to perform one monologue, let alone multiple”

 

At the core of Glad to Be Dead? is a fascinating idea, but it is let down by a lack of cohesion, in theme, style and narrative.

It is an hour of monologues, told from beyond the grave. Some are historical figures; others are famous fictional characters. Each ghost is trapped alone in a room, able to watch the world through their window. It is slightly unclear how much of the world they can see, some seem to be confined to the memories of their creator, or themselves, while others can see our world and can pass judgement on it. Many of the ghosts berate us, pointing out flaws with modern life. Each monologue recounts the character’s life, sometimes dipping into philosophical musings.

The trouble is the choice of characters is random and disconnected. They include Casper the friendly ghost, Dorian Gray, and Reyna Angélica Marroquín, a young woman who was murdered in the 1960s. Some of the stories are interesting, because they’re less well known. But that’s a very different style to the monologues which are nods to famous fictional characters. Maybe the piece would work better by focussing on one of these stories, perhaps Irish murderer Katherine Webster, whose story is gripping, though the presentation of it reads a little like a Wikipedia entry. Many of the characters struggle to come to life, and feel a bit trapped by the weight of facts – there are lots of names and dates. Perhaps finding a stronger overarching theme would give the piece a little more narrative cohesion, as it feels a bit disjointed.

Mother/daughter writing duo Donna and Jade Flack have chosen some interesting figures, and the concept of these ghosts who are trapped in their rooms is really poignant. Casper, who is a child, just wants to play, and that loneliness is moving. There could be a little more light and shade in the piece, as it does feel tonally quite similar throughout. The moralising nature of many of the ghosts brings a strange preachiness at times, which is a shame. It would be nice to see these characters having a bit more fun.

It’s an impressive feat to perform one monologue, let alone multiple, and Barbara Llewellyn, Bruce Murray and Jade Flack (a writer/performer) all manage admirably. Llewellyn brought a real gusto to her characters, Murray a wry knowingness and Flack had a strong energy.

There are parts of Glad to Be Dead? which are thought provoking, and moving. It packs a huge amount into the hour, and learning about some of the characters was interesting, but in the end, there needs to be something more.

GLAD TO BE DEAD? at the Hen and Chickens Theatre

Reviewed on 31st July 2023

by Auriol Reddaway

Photography by ShillingSnaps

 

 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

Lautrec | ★★★½ | August 2022

Glad to be Dead

Glad to be Dead

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