Edinburgh Fringe 2024
A Play by John
Mule Productions / Marc Wadhwani and Jules Smekens
Genre: Absurd Theatre, New Writing
Venue: Space @Surgeon’s Hall
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
This has a very decent script which delivers enough absurd notions that it surprises with and engages in, in equal measure. The actors and their direction keep us taught on the edge of our seats whilst we wonder why anyone would build a coffin without knowing why. It has sufficient charm to keep us watching but enough jeopardy to ask us why. Absurd.
Review
Matteo and Reggie are working on coffins. The coffins appear to be for them. Why you would agree to do this seems a little like the warning that if you set out for revenge, first dig two holes. If you have to build your own coffin, expect to die soon. There is a clear warning here from fate which both Matteo and Reggie seem to fear and lack the ability to heed.
And this is where I felt the script took flight but yet was still sitting on the ground. There was a lot which could be plumbed in terms of their relationship which was not exploited. It felt more Pirandello than anything else and I wanted it to steer itself closer to the wings of other flights of fancy. That I have still no idea why both of these characters were found in a place building towards some kind of deadline a vessel for their own body is one thing, but to also seem lost in the feeling that they too had little idea of who they were – that needs more. It needs to be examined and exploited with some form of metaphorical see saw between the characters. Perhaps one has the upper hand for the enquiry until they meet an unsurmountable thought which the other fears but can surmount. The power balance between them then moves and shifts giving us more of the why are we here rather than the I don’t know who I am.
Grappling with the idea of fate and how your life can hinge upon it is given great purpose in the final scene when one gets into a coffin. Whilst an obvious ending there is confidence in the piece from the company as it is well conceived and directed. The physical conflict part way through is handled well enough though I did wonder if we were close to falling into the pit of contact being used to explain something away. I was more interested in the cerebral conflict and the repetitive nature of the hand being whacked by a hammer. There is resonance there in repeating relationships which hurt, behaviours that cause us pain and emotional investment devoid of joy. That, I really liked a lot. In fact, I really liked a lot of this young company’s work. From Marc approaching me to come and see the play – refusing to give me a flyer unless I might come – to the approach taken to the ideas contained the piece to the lack of being flustered when the show went up 15 minutes late due to previous show(s) running late, this was a decent 40 minutes or so. But the best bit is, I think we can certainly hope to see more. And that excites me. At my age, after 10pm, that is simply quite miraculous.
