Theatre Review - 2:22 - A GHOST STORY, PEOPLE'S THEATRE, NEWCASTLE

Written by Danny Robins, the play focuses on the relationship between belief and science as two couples discuss whether or not they believe in ghosts. Jenny has been alone for three days in the house she and husband Sam have been renovating. When Sam returns, just in time, for a dinner party, he finds that Jenny now believes their new home is haunted. Their guests, Lauren (Sam’s old friend from Uni) and Ben (her new boyfriend), agree to stay up until 2:22 to find out who is right, Jenny or Sam. It’s surprisingly light-hearted and very funny, with well-developed characters. This adds all the more to the mounting tension and will have you jumping many times throughout the production. I think many people will probably guess the ending before reaching it; however, it doesn’t matter, as the show moves so swiftly it carries you willingly to its unsettling conclusion. The story builds on itself, bringing you deeper and deeper inside until you are fully immersed.

Photo by Paul Hood

Director Anna Dobson must be commended to for creating such a fantastically well-rounded production. The first half was good, with a few jump scares here and there, but oh, Act Two! An almost palpable electricity filled the theatre as the second half of the show washed over us all. The sound design (Tracey Lucas) had the audience’s reactions in the palm of its hand, from humorous moments from Alexa, to terrifying noises, all perfectly timed. Lighting design (Claire Brissenden and Ben Nielson-Rouse) was very effective at setting and changing the tone when needed, also with impeccable timing. The play opened on an intricate work-in-progress family home, complete with kitchen, and with a screen to show the countdown – and the set (Set Design, Sands Dobson) was well thought out and well dressed, grounding the play in the mundane reality of day-to-day life.

Photo by Paul Hood

Performers Laura Astin and Max Earnshaw set the perfect tone when needed as ‘Company’. Holly Stamp was brilliant as the highly-strung mother and wife Jenny, as she tries to finally assert her own feeling and beliefs. Kay Edmundson downplays her role nicely as the sarcastic and flirtatious therapist Lauren. Sam Hinton makes the opinionated and arrogant Ben likeable, despite his foibles, and delivers his lines with wit. Sam Burrell is charming, funny, and just plain great as hard-working cockney Ben.

A perfect start to the spooky season!

2:22 – A Ghost Story is showing at The People’s Theatre, until 24^th October.

Theatre Review - PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK - PEOPLE'S THEATRE, NEWCASTLE

 

Photos by Paul Hood

A curious play, adapted by Tom Wright from the book of the same name by Joan Lindsay, it questions what is true reality? Do societal concepts really hold true when the natural world calls to us? On Valentine’s Day, 1900, Appleyard College (a strict girls boarding school) takes its students on an outing. As teachers, pupils and other tourists enjoy the savage beauty of the wilderness, watches stop and a discomforting sense of befuddlement sets in. Students and a teacher are lost, or did they run away, or are more sinister factors at play?

Photos by Paul Hood

The atmosphere, created by director Matthew Hope, was electric. As you walk into the studio, the stage is set in the round, leaning into the eerie feeling of someone or something always watching. The room is filled with hazy fog, with soft lighting (Lighting Design, Will Bunn), and noises (Sound Design, Emily Jeffery) of the Australian outback leading you into a humid, lazy, hot day. But tensions build as performers work in unison to deliver an enthralling performance. Actors do not merely perform, but are possessed by the story itself and act as ensemble to reinforce important moments. The characters often spoke in the third person. This was particularly effective when the girls are climbing the rock, adding to the air of confusion. It’s as if the show does not want you to understand who is who, purposely throwing you off as wonder and confusion take hold. 

Photos by Paul Hood

The cast have their own individual character and yet, because of the symbiotic nature of the performance, they were often working as one; it was truly mesmerising. Actors Ashleigh Gloyne, Oryssa Sahota, Ashton Matthews, Abii Smith and Lauren Urmson all clearly worked excessively hard to create such perfectly tuned art.

Photos by Paul Hood

An absorbing and disorientating evening that will leave you with more questions than answers. An exceptional production! Picnic at Hanging Rock is showing at the People’s Theatre until 17^th October.

Theatre Review - TWELVE ANGRY MEN, DARLINGTON HIPPORDROME

 

Twelve men are locked in a stuffy jury room after hearing three days of testimony in the trial of a sixteen-year-old boy accused of murdering his father. Initially, they expect a quick verdict, as the evidence appears overwhelming. The prosecution has presented a clear motive in the boy's troubled relationship with his father, an eyewitness claims to have seen the stabbing, and neighbours reported hearing a violent argument before the murder.

Before leaving the courtroom, the jurors are reminded that the verdict must be unanimous and that a guilty verdict will result in the death penalty. Expecting a swift conclusion, eleven jurors vote guilty, while Juror 8, played by Gary O'Brien, casts the only not guilty vote. This is not because he believes the boy is innocent, but because he feels the case deserves careful discussion rather than a rushed decision.

The hot, claustrophobic setting reflects the growing tension among the jurors. As their discussion continues, the room becomes increasingly oppressive. The men pace restlessly, struggling with the intense heat, while the broken fan symbolises their discomfort and frustration. The only relief comes from the water cooler in the corner. The set design effectively heightens the sense of confinement, mirroring the mounting conflict and pressure as the jurors begin to question not only the evidence but also one another.

The jurors' initial guilty verdicts are heavily influenced by their prejudice towards the boy. Because he comes from a disadvantaged background, many assume he is capable of committing the crime, demonstrating how bias can affect the pursuit of justice.

As tension among the jurors increases and the oppressive heat of the jury room intensifies, their emotions begin to surface, exposing their personal prejudices and biases. This leads some jurors to rely on stereotypes rather than the facts of the case. As a result, they struggle to consider whether there is reasonable doubt, a vital principle when deciding on a verdict that could ultimately lead to a person's execution.

Bill Ward gives a powerful performance as the hot-headed Juror 3, capturing the character's anger and stubbornness as he struggles to separate his personal feelings from the facts of the case.

Twelve Angry Men is a gripping and thought-provoking production that keeps the audience engaged throughout, delivering a powerful message about prejudice, justice, and the importance of reasonable doubt.

Twelve Angry Men runs at Darlington Hippodrome until Saturday 10th October