Pleasance Theatre Archives - Page 22 of 31

★★★

“conceptually fascinating, and with further development will hopefully find the formula that unveils its potential”

As part of the Pleasance Theatre’s Science Fiction Festival, Horatio Productions’ ReGen sports an impressive foundation, having been developed with the assistance of actual scientists from the Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine of King’s College London. The collaboration of art and science is an ambitious one, and thankfully one that mostly pays off.

Set in a future in which healthcare has been monopolised by the antagonistic Paragon, whose treatments are designed to keep you spending more and more money, Dr Amanda Stuart (Mia Foo) is something of a black market doctor, handing out free treatment to those in need, and who are able to find her well-hidden clinic. That is, until celebrity chef Angel Belmonte (Juan Echenique who also penned the script) barges in, and his need for a cure inadvertently paves the way for a discovery that could revolutionise – as you may have guessed from the speciality of the scientists involved – stem cells and regenerative medicine. The play pitches itself in this setup as an exploration of public versus private healthcare, but as it develops this thread falls to the wayside somewhat, instead focusing on the dynamic between the two characters – which turns out to be a largely very enjoyable dynamic.

Echenique’s script is well-paced, contains a wealth of snappy dialogue, and manages to condense the science into a sense that is easily digestible to the less scientifically adept in the audience (like myself). One section in the latter half centred around rats is particularly brilliant, managing to collide the fearsome potential of the revolutionary treatment with the personal frictions of the characters in a way that ratchets up the tension and comedy to great effect. However, the excellence of this scene does draw attention to other scenes that don’t quite meet this standard, instead feeling quite filmic as they end before they get the chance to truly make an impact. This is especially noticeable as there are some needlessly long transitions as the actors are made to fully rearrange the set made up of tables and stools every time the setting changes, which kills the energy and momentum of the prior action.

Foo and Echenique’s performances are individually engrossing but occasionally lack the cohesion of two actors really listening and responding to each other, and leaves you wishing Fumi Gomez’s direction had spent more attention on fleshing out the conflicts and relationships in the script, instead of focusing on how many configurations of tables and stools can be implemented. ReGen, however, is conceptually fascinating, and with further development will hopefully find the formula that unveils its potential.

Reviewed by Tom Francis

The Millennials: Battle of Perspectives

Pleasance Theatre

Reviewed – 20th May 2019

★★½

“there were a lot of good ideas in the making, but the execution missed the mark”

The term ‘millennial’ conjures up so many stereotypes – tech-obsessed, avocados instead of houses, supposed disillusionment with capitalist consumerism whilst still lusting after Yeezy trainers and the latest iPhone. Regardless, this is an entire generation, the first to grow up with the internet, social media, ubiquitous advertising, and the free market. They have a lot to say, and ‘Black Cat Theatre’ wants to give them the platform to say it.

Jon Long, our ‘host’ for the evening, potters on to the stage to his own announcement of himself, with a tiny guitar and lovely little ditty about what not to recycle (dead cats, dildos, grenades, more dildos). I say ‘host’ because whilst this is how he’s introduced to us, this is his only stage time all evening. Nevertheless, he successfully warms the crowd, and we’re ready and waiting for an evening of equally endearing and engaging acts.

The set is left behind from a zombie/haunted house show – a skeleton in a wig lays conspicuously along a staircase – but after a while, you quite forget and the few props used for each sketch override the wonky walls and boarded-up windows.

The sketches themselves feel a little amateur. Of course, they’re all works in progress so we’re not expecting anything too polished, but perhaps a little exploration would be nice. The opening act for example, ‘When Mum Swipes Right’ (Thomas J. Misuraca) is about a son (Alex Di Cuffa) walking in on his mum (Gillian King) enjoying a Tinder ‘hook-up’ (Ross Townsend Green), but that’s pretty much the whole sketch explained – the content only goes as far as to explain the pitch.

There are some ideas that, given a little more time, might progress to something of more interest- ‘Pucker Up’ (Sam Rogg), for example, discusses the daily struggle of women’s contraception. The subject is compelling and often left unremarked upon, and there’s room for a lot of comedy, but the sketch itself felt very educational – as though it might be touring a secondary school (not a bad idea, mind.)

One sketch did buck the trend, presenting a satire of a woman’s attempt to succeed in our current climate. ‘Some Necessary Measures’ (Rebekah King) sees Kosha Engler attempt to get to the top floor of a building, but on every floor, she must stop and check in with a new concierge (Mike Archer) who requires more and more absurd sacrifices on her part in order to allow her to proceed. Whilst it did feel a little on the nose, the comic timing was brilliant, and the story well told.

All in all there were a lot of good ideas in the making, but the execution missed the mark. Devorah Wilde and Alex Di Cuffa, the pair behind ‘Black Cat Theatre’ have done well in providing a platform for new ideas, but, cruel as it sounds, they’re perhaps a little too encouraging where they might be more discerning.

Pleasance Theatre

Reviewed – 27th May 2019

★★★

“conceptually fascinating, and with further development will hopefully find the formula that unveils its potential”

Reviewed by Tom Francis

ReGen

Pleasance Theatre until 1st June as part of their Science Fiction Theatre Festival

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

Pleasance Theatre

Reviewed – 20th May 2019

★★½

“there were a lot of good ideas in the making, but the execution missed the mark”

The set is left behind from a zombie/haunted house show – a skeleton in a wig lays conspicuously along a staircase – but after a while, you quite forget and the few props used for each sketch override the wonky walls and boarded-up windows.

Reviewed by Miriam Sallon

The Millennials: Battle of Perspectives

Pleasance Theatre

Previously reviewed at this venue:

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