Review – A Great Fear of Shallow Living
Can we really ignore our own nature, even when it seems out of touch with reality and simply unbelievable? This, to me, seems to be the focal point of “A Great Fear of Shallow Living”, created by InTandem Theatre and performed at Draper Hall until 30th June.
The piece is written for two female actors, and it tells the story of a family of Selkies (seals trapped in human form) longing for the sea. I could give away more about the plot and the story, but discovering the relationship between the grandma and the niece, and being transported in a mythological world by the music and the writing is the best part of the show, and wouldn’t want to spoil it for future audiences.
The writing is very good, and it is refreshing to see a theatre piece so gracefully put together and strong at the same time. It could have been a revenge story about the anger the Selkie must have felt, in learning that her husband locked her hide away, so she could never return to the sea where she belongs. Instead it’s a story about having to conform, and at the same time feeling the urge to rebel.
Anna Proctor and Isobel Hughes acting is on point. They’re able to welcome you into the doubts, fears and hopes of their characters, and you start living the story with them.
The music in this piece is just as important as the writing. The sounds and the vocals are essential in bringing the audience into a mythological world and in creating a Nordic, seaside atmosphere. Every sound is studied to underline specific moments in the play, and to create a farytale-like soundtrack.
It’s a play worth seeing, and that will allow you to get to know more about the popular folk tale of the Selkie.
The play, created by Bettine Mackenzie, Isobel Hughes and Bella Loudon will be on until June 30th at Draper Hall, that under the direction of Stefania Bochicchio is becoming one of the most interesting and welcoming theatre venue in South London.
Venue: Draper Hall, 50/57 Hampton Street, SE17 3AN Londra
Doors and bar open at 19.00, play starts at 19.30 sharp – A Draper Together Initiative
Theatre @ Draper Hall is curated by Stefania Bochicchio