Reviewer: Christine Stanton
Writer: Francis Grin
Director: Charlotte Everest
“Creepy & Captivating”
4 / 5
Betty is head over heels in love with boyfriend Alex, eager to move in and take their relationship to the next stage. But Alex isn’t ready, encouraging her to deal with her past and internal struggles before she can fully commit to their future together. But her past isn’t conventional, the skeletons in her closet are too traumatic to bring out – not just for her, but for everyone involved. But is there a way for her to tell her story and divulge the details to Alex without feeling like her trauma is transactional?
The past in question, is Betty’s time at school, where she inadvertently joined a cult after her roommates father and ex-convict Bobby, moved into her student halls. His confidence is enticing for the young students, offering a helping hand with their studies, paying for meals and encouraging them to be the best versions of themselves. But the same self-assured persona that drew them in, soon gets darker, ridiculing them for getting things wrong, humiliating them in front of each other, slowly dialling up the abuse as his power over them becomes stronger and stronger.
Inspired by a remarkable true story, writer Francis Grin has woven together a performance that is creepy and captivating, with the tension built so well that the audience are on the edge of their seats the entire time. Each character is written with their individuality in mind rather than appearing an add on to an already formed script. This allows the audience to fully connect with each of their stories and allows their development throughout the performance to make sense and realistically explain their motivations and decisions.
Most of the show is told as a flashback to the past, with occasional snippets to the future. Charlotte Everest’s direction clearly yet subtly signposts the two different time periods to avoid any confusion, which allows the narrative to flow easily. The set and costume design (Caitlin Mawhinney) is purposefully stripped back to allow the narrative to be the focal point of the performance, with occasional projected visuals to complement the live action. Jose Guillermo’s sound design works fantastically in the background, slowly building up the suspense with each scene, complimenting Ben Garcia’s lighting to create the eerie, uncomfortable atmosphere throughout.
Justin Butcher is terrifyingly fantastic as Bobby – easily but slowly taking his dark demeanour to the next level and amplifying the tension in the storyline. Jennie Eggleton (Betty), Jahmila Heath (Naomi) and Felix Kai (Tom) all brilliantly and believably portray trauma, their mannerisms and expressions perfected to really engage the audience. Iona Champain (Celeste) and Charlie Cassen (Alex) are excellent two-handed characters – showing the duality of being both good and bad, both sides of each portrayed well by the actors.
Production company Mrs C’s Collective are very mindful of developing and performing this narrative safely and inclusively. Trigger warnings are clearly outlined prior to the show, and considering much of the performance contains various sensitive subjects such as abuse and exploitation, they do a fantastic job of ensuring that everyone is welcome to the show without feeling ambushed or alienated.
This is the epitome of a great thriller – shocking, intriguing, intense and uncomfortable. The storyline never falters, the characters are perfectly written and the performance is so gripping that the 1 hour and 45 minutes goes by in a flash.
Runs until 3 June 2023
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