Ruth Sullivan Archives - thespyinthestalls.com

★★★★★

“an evocative and moving story”

‘Cow | Deer’ is a ground-breaking, haunting exploration of humanity’s impact on nature: a wordless theatrical experience unlike anything you’ve ‘seen’.

As autumn’s chilly fingers take hold, ‘Cow | Deer’ beckons you to spend a summer’s day in the life of two animals – one wild and free, the other domesticated. Created entirely with sound, the deer roams the forest looking for berries and water; the cow is pregnant and preparing for birth. Neither can escape human interference: planes roar overhead, cars screech past, dogs crash through protective barriers; the bucolic idyll is quickly shattered. Then the climax: two heartbreaking fates. Human dominance is clear.

Co-created by Katie Mitchell, Nina Segal and Melanie Wilson, this innovative piece pushes the boundaries of theatre. Though staged, it’s aural with nothing to watch save the Foley artists working their magic. Instead, sound IS the show, perhaps most effectively experienced with closed eyes. Though unlike a radio play, it’s fully immersive, a gravel path greeting your feet, the smell of fresh hay in the air. The sound enfolds you, moving dynamically through the space, approaching and retreating from all sides. You feel every step, every raindrop, every fly bite. Little by little, you slip into cow and deer’s world, feeling every shiver, every breath, as if it were your own. I initially wondered if a day in the life of a cow might be a little dry; but the plot hits hard, channelling a flood of emotions and giving these animals a voice without uttering a single word.

Alex Eales’ design is genius. The stage unassumingly displays the Foley materials on a bed of straw, grass, water and stone, accented by Prema Mehta’s soft lighting. You almost don’t notice the array of technical equipment, microphones and sound booths. Soft lighting remains throughout, allowing you to watch these artists in motion if you wish, but encouraging you to drift away and let your mind create the visuals.

The soundscape design by Tom Espiner, Ruth Sullivan and Marie Zschommler and realisation by Espiner, Pandora Colin, Tatenda Matsvai, Ruth Sullivan and Melanie Wilson, is beautifully rich and realistic, combining real field recordings with deft Foley art. Real bird calls and human sounds mix with trees creaking, streams splashing and hooves stamping. Scene changes are grounded by clear shifts in ambient tone. The range of sounds is phenomenally impressive. This is not simply an emulation of the outdoors; expect screaming jet engines, screeching car tyres, and even whooshing from the inside the cow (come see it, you’ll see what I mean). There are unexpectedly funny moments, like the cow’s thunderous wee and cow pats slapping the ground. It weaves together an evocative and moving story, despite the lack of words and visuals.

The cast and sound engineer work seamlessly together, creating impressively complex sounds through an aural ballet. Every moment requires a skilful coordination of whisking, shaking, squelching and striking, simultaneously using multiple Foley materials. It’s breathtaking to watch and so effectively recreates the natural world I can scarcely believe the rustling leaves are the fringes of a glittery pompom.

‘Cow | Deer’ is a compelling and expressive marriage of technology and art, with an important message about nature under siege. As poignant as it is impressive, I urge you to experience this experimental work and ‘see’ things from a new perspective.

Brief Encounter

The Watermill Theatre

Reviewed – 18th October 2021

★★★

“The music and Anjali Mehra’s choreography are indeed highlights”

“That’s how it all began. Just by me getting a little piece of grit in me eye”. So often in life it is one of these small, simple twists of fate that change the course of a life. Laura, a respectable middle-class woman in an affectionate but rather dull marriage takes a shopping trip to a nearby town by train every Thursday. On the same day, Alec Harvey, a general practitioner works at the local hospital. They become acquainted in the refreshment room of the railway station after Alec removes a piece of dust that Laura has in her eye. Although both are quite content in their marriages, they fall in love and embark on a ‘brief’, passionate affair. They also embark on the rocky road of love, guilt, and self-examination.

Officially titled ‘Noël Coward’s Brief Encounter’, Emma Rice’s name is featured in as large a font as Coward’s on the programme. It is perfectly justified as her stage adaptation is now almost as recognisable as Coward’s film adaptation in 1945 (based on his original one act play “Still Life”). Here, Robert Kirby’s quirky and intimate production has all the Riceisms dutifully bouncing around the stage, showering magic onto a fairly dated love story. All competent musicians and singers, the cast almost give the impression that they have wandered in from the wild shores of Cornwall and an early ‘Kneehigh’ combo. I say ‘almost’. With a couple of exceptions, this troupe sometimes appear to be a bit out of their depth with the demands of the material and they need a couple more weeks to grow into the roles. For now, though, we are too aware of their concentration on getting the words, actions, and the stylistic staging right. Once they relax into the skins of the characters, the emotional impact will have the space to break through.

Laura Lake Adebisi, as Laura, is probably the guiltiest of this and therefore doesn’t quite grab the sympathy of the audience. Callum McIntyre’s more layered Alec gives her plenty to play with, but we don’t really witness the chemistry needed that would make these seemingly above-board characters decide to delve into the depths of deception. It is the peripheral characters that come across more fully formed. They burst with energy, circling the central pair, and filling the tea bar with colour. Kate Milner-Evans as Myrtle, holds forth with a commanding performance, occasionally breaking into song with a quite outstanding voice. Hanna Khogali is a bubble of quirky energy juggling her multiple roles while deftly handling her violin and guitar. Max Gallagher gives a standout performance, again switching between roles and providing the most real and memorable moments of the show; particularly as the camp Stephen, whose flat the lovers borrow one afternoon. Gallagher captures some of the hidden tones of Coward’s original text in just a few short moments of nuanced delivery.

The music and Anjali Mehra’s choreography are indeed highlights. The two are intertwined as the actor musicians dance to the tunes, relaying their instruments back and forth. We bask in a gorgeous mix of Rachmaninoff, Noël Coward and original music from composer and Musical Director, Eamonn O’Dwyer. O’Dwyer’s closing number ‘Always’ is a haunting moment. These are the moments that linger after we leave the auditorium. This staging of ‘Brief Encounter’ is stylistic, atmospheric and a feast for the senses, but there is a detachment, and the emotional encounters are all too brief.

COW | DEER

Royal Court

★★★★★

“an evocative and moving story”

COW | DEER

Royal Court

Reviewed on 11th September 2025

by Hannah Bothelton

Photography by Camilla Greenwell

Previously reviewed at this venue:

COW

COW

COW

The Watermill Theatre

Reviewed – 18th October 2021

★★★

“The music and Anjali Mehra’s choreography are indeed highlights”

Reviewed by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Pamela Raith

Brief Encounter

The Watermill Theatre until 13th November

Other shows reviewed this month:

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