Oh my, I'm still recovering from today's lunchtime offerring as part of the 24:7 festival - Future Shock by Richard Stockwell. Such an intense experience that had me thinking all afternoon.
The play is set in the far future. Laura (Alice Brockway) entered stasis for hundreds of years in order to wait for her lover. However, due to the banks making a mess of the economy (hmm, surely not!) the money has run out and she is woken 100 years too soon. Over the course of the next 48 hours, in her interactions with 'the Nicoletta' (Christine Clare) who is responsible for the facility, and a legal adviser Stampfer (Phil Minns) she has to come to terms with her situation, her 'options', and the world she has woken to.
Its a fascinating concept, excellently explored and realised by the writer and the cast. There are some interesting touches, such as the way that language and society has changed in this 'new' reality, the true value of a life and how we judge what it is to 'live', and what we would do if all those things that make up our life, are suddenly taken from us. Whilst it is set in the far future, it feels very realistic, and the moral questions that Laura raises have a relevance that engages the audience. The final 'choice' that Laura has to make is heartbreaking, and pitched perfectly by the cast. All the performances are great, but Alice Brockway blew me away with the energy and emotion she put into her portrayal of Laura.
Yet another fantastic 24:7 experience!
No comments:
Post a Comment