Review – What Shall We do With the Cello

Review by Andreea Helen David.

If you like absurd theatre, What Shall We do With the Cello is a play for you. Set in an unknown waiting room this play poses more questions that it answers, it makes you think.
This is a metaphorical and philosophical play. Matei Visniec‘s  four unnamed  characters (Man with cello, Lady with veil, Man with cane, Man with newspaper)  manage to embody very clear traits of our personality.

I have to admit I benefited from the Q&A afterwards and what luck the Q&A is on after each representation. The director Vasile Nedelcu, with an extensive experience in theatre and nearly as many awards, returns again and again to this play and I can see why, it can be played in so many ways, so many interpretations. And he gives credit to his actors, the importance of great acting, which is great to see.

The actors (Lucy Ramsden, Nicholas Allen, Nicholas Bendall and Mike Sengelow) had the work cut out for them, as Matei Visniec doesn’t give much description to his characters, if at all and they did a good job of it. Very distinct characteristics , even in an absurd world we can identify our day to day experiences, and all while keeping the integrity of realistic acting.

Loved the dance and movement (choreography by Malina Andrei) and I was surprised by the unexpected turns .
So this play has done its job, taking you away from the reality but illustrating a bit too well our humanity.

On at The Bunker Theatre 

7th and 8th of September 2018

Book here: https://www.bunkertheatre.com/whats-on/what-shall-we-do-with-the-cello/about