Review – The Yellow Wallpaper

Review by Andreea Helen David.

On 7th of June I got the chance to see The Yellow Wallpaper at Omnibus Theatre and I was gobsmacked . It was like a bright light , it took my mind a while to adjust to what was happening but when it did …

Based on the cult short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Ruby Lawrence and Dave Spencer adapt this piece beautifully but without covering the darkness of postpartum depression. What a powerful way to transpose the mental health issues. A punch in the face.

Right in the beginning we find out Alice is expecting. She is excited. She is clearly a bookworm and her mind is nurtured. Funny and open, you would never suspect something would be wrong, but then again isn’t always like that? After the birth and a scary incident Alice is sent away to rest and recover with her husband in the country side. But things don’t get better, they get worse.
The character is played by Gemma Yates-Round, whom is perfect in this role, watching her is mesmerising. She takes the audience by the hand and leads us into the darkest corners of Alice‘s mind.

There are 6 characters in this play and few more in the story within the play but only two people on stage. Enter Charles Warner as the doctor first and then as the husband and everything else, he’s everyone else but Alice. Charles shines as well, particularly as the Earth Man, his physicality is fascinating, I could only see Earth Man as I was having to remind myself to breath. This is all within the story Alice wrote for her daughter Violet before her books and her lucidity were taken away.

This play is timely, necessary, energetic, funny and dark. Go watch!

At Omnibus Theatre
Tue 5 Jun – Sun 24 Jun, 7.30pm (4pm Sundays)
Tickets:  £15 | £12 concessions

Photos by Lidia Crisafulli.