Trafalgar Studios – until 13 October 2018
Reviewed by Elizabeth J Smith
5*****
Milly Thomas has taken the taboo, dark subject of depression and suicide and presented it with insight and humour.
No-one wants to talk about what goes through the mind of a person as they descend into a deep depression that leaves them with, what they believe to be only one choice, suicide.
The scene is set simply with a morgue table, mirrors and clever lighting that carries you to different locations to watch the after math of Alice’s suicide and how her family and friends are left behind to cope with her decision to end it all.
Milly Thomas morph’s into the other characters with super fast reaction, but it doesn’t leave you confused as to who she is playing. Whether it be Alice’s Mum and Dad, blaming themselves for their daughters decision. Cleverly acting a moment of affection from Father to dead daughter, as Alice watches and is surprised as she never felt that connection when she was alive. Her poor
Mother desperately trying to make things better, trying to rescue her daughter from the turmoil she can see her disappearing into. The portrayal of the meeting between Alice’s Mother and her Aunt leaves you in no doubt how different these two sisters are. Alice was always pleased to see her crazy Aunt as she gave great presents. There are no holds barred in the action between Alice and her boyfriend and the anger Alice feels when he moves onto a new partner and the over whelming sadness she causes her childhood friend who tried desperately to support and rescue Alice until it became to much to handle.
Alice talks to the audience throughout the performance, drawing you into the psyche of a very disturbed young woman. How she flips from sadness to anger, highs and lows, and finally questioning if suicide was the answer to her problems as the peace she hoped would come in death doesn’t and she wishes to go back and think about again.
This is a master piece of writing and performance.
Milly Thomas takes you on a journey for 45 minutes, that flies by in a flash, and leaves you in no doubt about the hell of depression and what is left after death.
This play made me laugh out loud and cry at the end. Fabulous story telling.