Tag: theatre

Featured

2:22 -A Haunting Review

2.22: A Ghost Story 

Do you believe in ghosts? Why? Why not? Can you prove they exist? Can you prove they don’t?

What exactly happens at 2.22am? 

These are the questions that we explore in 2.22: A Ghost Story. Danny Robins’ play asks  audiences to consider if the supernatural is truly real or not, or do we just turn to ghost stories when something happens that we can’t explain? Maybe we don’t want to explain. Maybe blaming a ghost is easier. 

New parents, Jenny and Sam (Sammy), are at odds because Jenny has been waking up for four nights in a row to unsettling feelings, strange noises, and eerie energy in her baby girl’s room at 2.22am. Sam was away on business so he hasn’t experienced the strange events yet, nor does he believe in them because he is the sceptic of the play. 

The evening is already tense, but things go from bad to worse when Sam’s old friend from college Lauren (Loz) arrives for dinner with her new boyfriend Ben. Sam and Lauren are the scientifically minded pair, while Jenny and Ben are more open to believing that perhaps spirits do join us. They have a sense of faith. Maybe those who have passed do try to make some form of connection from an afterlife somewhere. 

The entire play is set over one evening. Jenny, an exhausted new mother who is sick and tired of her husband not taking her very real fears seriously, makes the group promise to sit up with her until 2.22 in the morning. Her plan is to prove that strange things happen at this time, things that appear to be targeting her baby. As the night plays out, egos are bruised, fights are picked, and tension builds and builds. 

I enjoyed the play. It is rare that I see something that I don’t know anything about. Usually I know the play already or I have some ideas about the plot, but I went to see this one blind. I felt it was well-written. I really enjoyed the conversations about tearing down houses and putting up “modern Ikea kitchens.” Places have layers and it is important to think about the history that people and places leave behind. Even if we don’t believe in ghosts, when people are alive in our memories, doesn’t that mean they’re still with us? 

The thriller/tension builds very well as there were several strange occurrences that felt completely unexplainable. Such as who drowned the teddy bear with white spirits? How did it get in the bathroom? Is Jenny’s exhaustion causing her to imagine things? Is she having severe anxiety because she is a new mother, determined to protect her child? Or is there something more sinister in the house? 

The play explores people too. What we do, why we do it, how do we come to believe what we believe? How and why do we make certain choices? What if we made different ones? 

Sam and Lauren are quite clearly more than just old college friends. Ones who never dated, but maybe feel they should have. None of her boyfriends ever match up to him, and he never likes anyone she dates, the two seem to be always on the same wavelength until Lauren is more open to the idea of ghosts. 

In my opinion, Lauren and Sam are the most complex characters in the play, and Colin O’Donoghue and Laura Whitmore are solidly intense and brilliant in the roles. Lauren works in mental health, and she’s clearly well-educated, immaculately dressed, but she feels as though she is missing out in certain regards. She’s missed out on one thing, on one person she wanted the most. She’s funny, cheeky, but also clearly struggling with heavier feelings and as the play goes on, her arc is highly engaging. 

Sam is a classic sceptic. Always rolling his eyes, always ready to pick apart the amazing and unbelievable. He gets a kick out of explaining things to people. He’s very unlikable. 

If there was one aspect of this script that I didn’t love, it’s that this play is written by someone who clearly believes in ghosts and enjoys ghost stories, so Sam is portrayed as a cynical, asshole, sceptic. It is typical in these kinds of stories to have the sceptic be always ready to reel off a bunch of facts in a gotcha fashion. 

The issue I found was that Sam is unlikable for other reasons, he’s an asshole in many ways, but he’s not an asshole because he’s a sceptic, he’s actually just a sceptical asshole. The difference is important. I don’t dislike Sam because he refuses to believe in ghosts, I dislike Sam because he’s condescending, arrogant, and he talks down to his wife (and everyone else) constantly, while getting far too close for comfort with Lauren. The biggest issue is that he cannot seem to give his wife any sort of sensitivity. Even if he does not believe in anything supernatural at all, he cannot even acknowledge that the fear his wife feels is very real. Instead of insisting the whole thing is ridiculous, it would have meant a lot if he could have just said “Clearly something is scaring you, and we’ll get through it together.” 

I enjoyed the play and I loved the intense dynamics of the four main characters, but I would have loved to see a touch more nuance with this one aspect of Sam’s character. I don’t think his role as the sceptic would’ve been negatively impacted or less compelling if he’d have been a touch more willing to listen. His arguments for logic, reason, and science could have remained the same. 

Ben’s character is kind of an unsung hero in act two in my opinion. He’s the new boyfriend, the newcomer to the group, and he’s a bit rough around the edges, but his convictions in act two are very powerful. Jenny also has her finest moment towards the end of act two in my opinion, and while I will not be divulging any spoilers, I will say that Shona McGarty moved me to tears with one of her final pieces of dialogue. 

Colin O’Donoghue (Sam), Laura Whitmore (Lauren), Shona McGarty (Jenny), and Jay McGuiness (Ben), were absolutely fantastic. It is really impressive when casts are so small because being onstage for nearly the entire play is no small feat and these four characters are all present, nearly always. Sometimes two go off while another two chat for a while, but predominantly, these core four are giving passionate performances the entire time, and the subject isn’t exactly light. So, bravo and congratulations to the cast, and to the crew. 

It is a play that I’d highly recommend, and one that I would see again and watch differently now that I know how it ends. Are ghosts real? You’ll have to see the play to find out. 

Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katelovesliterature/ for all updates about what is coming up next. 

Do you believe in ghosts? 

We Followed the Yellow-Brick Road: For Brains, For Courage, For Love

Featured

The Wizard of Oz is a simple story, one that I’ve always loved, but I was reminded of just how much I enjoyed it when I went to see the musical version in the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. If you follow me on Instagram @katelovesliterature, then you will have already seen the photos on my grid.

As expected, it was a brilliant #theatretrip.

Two things captured my attention specifically during this adaptation. The first point is that I was very impressed by this production’s use of screens, and the second point is that I had forgotten how much I enjoy the simplicity of this story. Wicked is touring again currently, and I have my tickets for when it is on in Dublin, so even though I really enjoy Wicked, I loved seeing a villain relishing in being a villain. I’ll talk about this more shortly.

Stylistically, I loved this fresh take on a very classic story. The film alone dates back to 1939, and the winding quest to find one’s way home has been endlessly incorporated into various forms of media ever since. It is a popular trope. One gets lost and must find their way back, learning crucial life lessons along the way. It is a satisfying trope for a reason, and the theme of yearning for belonging somewhere is one that I believe everyone can relate to on some level.

I would call this production quite high-tech, and quite modern. The use of screens and taking a more neon approach to everything felt larger than life, which I think is quite appropriate for Oz. I was sceptical about the use of screens going in, as sometimes I find that screens end up taking over the entire production and no matter what, I think there is something to be said for solid sets and backgrounds that aren’t digital. I was pleasantly surprised though, as I felt there was a lot of care given to striking the balance of when to use screens and when to not, and I loved the bright, electric yellow-brick road that moved in pieces throughout the show.

In this production, in my opinion, a darker undertone was present. Oz was more imposing, darker, despite being lit up in neon. It was so bright that it was slightly unsettling, and for Dorothy, who is off on this imposing journey, it was fitting that Oz would seem gigantic and cold. Kansas felt darker too, with a layer of dust and grime persisting, and everyone was tense and on edge, even before the tornado warning. This worked well as it was easy to see why Dorothy felt so displaced, why maybe Kansas didn’t feel like home at first, and of course, Dorothy’s love for Toto was ever enduring. The style choices made sense, and the screens helped instead of hindered, so I would see this version of the production again anytime.

I want to take a moment to say congratulations, bravo, and well done to the cast and crew.

Aviva Tulley was simply charming as Dorothy. Her rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow received a well-deserved extended applause. She was the perfect Dorothy, charming and endearing, yet determined to persevere, not only to help herself, but to help her new friends too. I want to mention Benjamin Yates. He was the most wonderful Scarecrow. The Scarecrow is a vital part of the show. He is the first friend that Dorothy makes in Oz, and he is the first to join her, not leaving her alone on the journey. Their friendship is so sweet, and Benjamin Yates was a fantastic mix of sweet, funny, and earnest. The entire cast were fantastic though and, in my opinion, they all deserve a huge amount of praise.

Craig Revel Horwood was The Wicked Witch of the West. Craig was impressive and it was so much fun to see a villain simply revel in being a villain. I’ve decided that I will consider The Wicked Witch of the West and Elphaba to be two distinctly different characters. I know that many people probably view them this way already, but Wicked is presented often as the “untold side of the story,” of The Wicked Witch of the West. Wicked presents The Wicked Witch of the West as someone who was forced to become evil whereas in The Wizard of Oz, the witch is simply a wicked witch, and her vendetta against Dorothy is based on pettiness and anger alone. Yes, Dorothy technically dropped a house on her sister, but you always get the impression that The Wicked Witch of the West would have found an excuse to torment Dorothy anyway. Having The Wicked Witch of the West double up as the mean and spiteful Miss Gulch from Kansas is a testament to this. Miss Gulch is a spiteful woman who has an unfair vendetta against Dorothy. Miss Gulch takes pleasure in finding reasons to complain about her and act against her, going so far as even trying to take Toto away and harm him.

Craig Revel Horwood clearly enjoyed playing this iconic character, and I really enjoyed seeing a story with clear and plain stakes and triumphs again. The Wicked Witch of the West is an unapologetic antagonist, and the contrast between the surly wicked witch and the ever delightful, bubble-gum pink, moped riding Glinda was visually very striking and very fun to watch. They’re extreme opposites and the dynamic works very well onstage.

I’m all for nuance, especially in children’s literature. I believe I’ve made that very clear time and time again, but I do also feel somewhat frustrated when I see every villain getting the same “misunderstood actually,” treatment. Understanding why someone behaves as they do is important, and yes, sometimes evil is made, but I also do think there’s something to be said about acknowledging that some people simply have bad intentions. The Wicked Witch of the West in this production of The Wizard of Oz is evil just to be evil, and it was highly entertaining.

I’d see this show again tomorrow if I could.

Next up on Katelovesliterature.com, I’m going to be discussing 2.22: A Ghost Story.

Stay tuned!