Writer: Emma Hemingford
Director: Frederick Wienand
Reviewer: Christine Stanton
“Thought-Provoking”
4 / 5
Life is short and nobody knows how long they have – but in Foreverland, wealthy candidates are able to undertake gene therapy that pauses the aging process and allows them to live for as long as they choose.
Ask anybody if they would undertake this procedure and it would almost always be a yes. Getting to live your life without the faint ticking of a clock in the back of your mind would give people the freedom to do whatever they wanted, shedding away pressures of hitting life goals by a certain age and keeping up with your peers. But the problems Hemingford poses, is that only the rich can afford to take part, and surely time should be the one thing that equals out the already uneven playing field for everyone? Additionally, time doesn’t necessarily buy happiness, and a lifetime of anxiety or sadness is even more all-consuming than if there is a distant end date to work towards.
In Hemington’s narrative – Alice (Emma McDonald) and Jay (Christopher York) are a young couple, excited to have more time to travel, raise a child and excel within their chosen careers. Despite Alice’s initial apprehension, Jay convinces her that it’s an easy procedure that can only lead to good things. And at first, it does – their daughter Alice (Emily Butler) is born and the pair are overjoyed that they can give her a lifestyle that allows them to focus wholeheartedly on parenting her, a loving picture-perfect family unit. But fast-forward into the future and Jay is struggling with the warped concept of time, Alice has anxiety about the word outside and their daughter Annie (Una Byrne) is not a fan of the ‘fixing’ process that comes with the gene therapy. Annie is furious that it’s gatekept for the rich and disgusted that outdated ideas and practices have stagnated society due to vast numbers of the population in charge having extended their lifespan.
The choice of including three versions of Annie is a good one – Butler brings childlike innocence and curiosity to the conversation about the procedure after playground chatter, first planting the seed of her learning about new society. And it’s Byrne’s adult Annie that really grips the audience, her angry passion brilliantly portrayed, as she outlines her opposing thoughts to the debate. It would be wonderful if these iterations of Annie were introduced slightly earlier, as the first 40 minutes or so is mainly focused on the procedure itself, and the first few blissful months of living forever, together. While they are enjoyable scenes, there is a need for the expected depth to be introduced to the narrative, that isn’t quite satiated with the mysterious curtain on the back wall, or occasional slips from perfection within the couple’s interactions.
McDonald and York are excellent in their roles, believably portraying each aspect of the character personalities, especially as the cracks start to show and their bubble begins to burst. Valerie Antwi is an absolute joy both as the clinical Dr Lane who administered the procedure, and the Doctors daughter, who has continued on her mother’s work and advocates for the procedure. Her comical depiction of being the awkward outsider in the family home during a pivotal conversation is hilarious, while her cold, measured portrayal of the Doctor at the start adds a layer of unease as the severity of the procedure is outlined.
This is a wonderful cast – with a strong, thought-provoking storyline that will stick with you long after you leave the theatre – possibly even forever, however long that may be.
Runs until 19th October 2024
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