Stage: Who wants to live forever

Foreverland
by Emma Hemingford
dir Frederick Wienand
with Emma McDonald, Christopher York, Valerie Antwi, Una Byrne, Emily Butler
sets & costumes Peiyao Wang
lighting Lily Woodford • sound Jamie Lu
Southwark Playhouse Borough, London • 2-19.Oct.24 ★★★★

Set in the near future, Emma Hemingford's new play cleverly uses emerging science to explore the effect of extended longevity on various relationships. The approach is thoughtful and sometimes very pointed, but is nicely grounded in earthy humour, nuanced performances and inventively simple staging. It also never gets bogged down in its central biotechnology, which helps make sure that the audience is looking at the deeper ideas and feelings these people are struggling to understand, let alone express.

It opens in 2035, as Alice and Jay (McDonald and York) are in consultation with Dr Lane (Antwi) on the day of their "fixing", a surgical procedure that will rejuvenate every cell in their body and stop them from ageing. Wealthy due to Jay's tech job, they can afford this hugely expensive treatment, but Alice worries that her father can't. Then as they begin their now-extended life, time ceases to have much meaning for them, allowing them to leave much about their day-to-day experiences unresolved, including the decision to have a child, as well as then parenting their daughter Annie (Butler), who grows to be in her mid-30s (now Byrne) like them and must decide for herself if she's ready for fixing.

The actors are excellent at creating real people we can identify with as their situation shifts in unexpected ways. In the smaller studio theatre, a raised stage effectively keeps the actors at eye level, with minimal props to signify settings and situations. And some sequences inventively deploy cinematic styles of editing and focus, while the script remembers to include offhanded but telling details. The actors create a terrific sense of connection, with dialog that never feels cliched, from playful banter between Alice and Jay to their ongoing conversations with Dr Lane and the parents' ever-shifting relationship with their daughter. Some of the elements feel a bit pushy and undercooked, such as Jay's alcohol addiction. But the more subtle interaction carries a strong kick, such as young Annie's simple inability to accept the idea of death.

There's an eerie resonance here, as this kind of DNA restoration is already being studied. So the premise feels thoroughly believable. And Hemingford's script never simplifies the themes or issues, touching on a range of provocative questions, including the way this pricey treatment intensifies the gap between the haves and the have-nots. Even more intriguing is how immortality so profoundly changes a person's sense of motivation in every aspect of life. And bigger questions about what creates day-to-day meaning are sharply examined in the dialog. Does having more time bring happiness? Would losing the pressure of mortality stop ambition on a global scale? While the drama gets a bit heightened here and there, these loudly gurgling ideas hold the interest, leaving us with plenty to think about.

For details, SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE > 

photos by Charlie Lyne • 4.Oct.24

FrightFest: London freaks out

Each year at FrightFest, it's fun to see how many different kinds of films can be made under the genre banner, from wildly supernatural nuttiness to darkly emotional thrillers. Here's another cross-section of highlights for Sunday, including three world premieres...

UK PREMIERE
7 Keys
dir-scr Joy Wilkinson; with Emma McDonald, Billy Postlethwaite 24/UK ****
Skilfully shot and edited, this British dramatic thriller is vividly centred around a young couple who behave transgressively as they travel around London. Writer-director Joy Wilkinson beautifully captures the inner lives of two strangers as they get to know each other in other people's homes. And along the way, several superbly orchestrated set-pieces inventively mix romance and suspense. Although it's increasingly difficult to hope for a happy ever after... FULL REVIEW >

WORLD PREMIERE
Derelict
dir Jonathan Zaurin; with Suzanne Fulton, Mike Coombes 24/UK ***.
Flickering between black and white and colour, this moody British thriller builds a strong sense of violent tension, even if the splintered filmmaking style prevents us from getting involved in the story or characters. But while it feels over-serious and overlong, director-cinematographer Jonathan Zaurin gives the film a striking visual style, skilfully shot and sharply augmented by a beefy piano-based score and powerfully internalised performances from a solid cast.

WORLD PREMIERE
Fright
dir-scr Warren Dudley; with Gwyneth Evans, Jill Priest 24/UK ***.
Designed like a 1930s melodrama, this British thriller features striking black-and-white cinematography, a florid orchestral score and accents that could cut glass. In other words, it looks and sounds fabulous. It also builds a strongly involving tension through the internalised feelings of the feisty young central character. Writer-director Warren Dudley is essentially making a pastiche here, but this is also an engaging mood piece that's thoughtful, emotionally engaging and even cathartic.

WORLD PREMIERE
Ladybug
dir Tim Cruz; with Anthony Del Negro, Scout Taylor-Compton 24/US ***
Packed with creepy and insinuating touches, this thriller builds a sense of impending nastiness right from the opening scene. Filmmaker Tim Cruz creates a haunting atmosphere that takes its time revealing the story's complex web of secrets. So while the script moves in fits and starts, peppered with moments that perhaps don't quite ring true, there's more than enough going on here to hold the attention. So the ghostly goings on become involving and, yes, haunting.

For info, FRIGHTFEST >