Writer: Emily Jupp
Director: Scott Le Crass
Reviewer: Christine Stanton
“Emotionally Affecting”
4.5 / 5
The unnamed narrator in Wormholes has found herself in a psychiatric facility, confused as to how she has ended up here, calmly trying to piece together her fragmented memories and make sense of the unsettling feeling that she has done something terrible.
Her story starts straightforward enough – yes, she has some missing memories, but nothing compared to the other residents on the ward, other women who she feels unlike her, have suffered some horrific traumas. She talks of how she met her partner, their relationship becoming serious quickly and the unfortunate, but expected distancing from her friends after the birth of their first child, Freddy. But as she works her way through her past, the abuse she suffered starts to surface – starting small with snippy comments and simple disagreements – that from an outside point of view stand out as stark red flags but are easily dismissible in the moment, passing it off as bad days or differing personalities. But these incidents start to snowball, quickly and intensely, until she is completely isolated from her loved ones and so trapped in the relationship that it’s near impossible to escape. But what did she do to wind up in the facility? And will she ever get the way out, support and closure that she so desperately deserves?
Wormholes, written by Emily Jupp, is drawn from personal experience – which helps to explain how such an affecting, authentic story is shown. The detail and gradual progression of the script is wonderfully paced, the slow build-up of abuse and the helplessness to leave the situation so intensely emotional that the audience are visibly enraptured by the strong storytelling. Scott Le Crass’s direction is focused and impactful, the meandering memories captivating the audience on the empty stage. Some of the most compelling scenes are the ones where the character is slowly losing her identity, accompanied by distorted music (Paul Housden) and lighting (Jodie Underwood) that do an impeccable job of showcasing her inner turmoil.
Victoria Yeates fantastically embodies the unnamed narrator, intently expressing the characters range of emotions with a perfected level of realism. There are a few scenes at the beginning of the show, featuring one-way conversations that would benefit from being paced slightly better, but as the weight of the storyline starts to take hold, Yeates visibly becomes more confident on stage, even while her character is shrinking. There is a short scene that captures some of the physical abuse that the narrator had endured, which Yeates portrays with harrowing energy and commitment, uncomfortable to watch, but brilliantly performed.
While in the facility, the narrator has become fixated on the guinea worm – a parasite that buries itself inside a host, eating away at them from the inside out, leaving no noticeable visible marks, but slowly destroying them piece by piece. It’s a gruesome, yet apt metaphor for abuse, fitting well with this emotionally affecting show.
Runs Until 10th August 2024
RatedReviewed 