Yvonne Arnaud – until Saturday 16th September 2023
Reviewed by Heather Chalkley
4****
‘Be careful what you wish for’ definitely comes to mind in this tale of torment. Writer Torben Betts gives us a clever play revealing aspect of a broken mind, fuelled by prescription drugs, alcohol and a dying career in the limelight. This horror story unfolds itself with surprising twists and turns until all is revealed at the very end. Be prepared to jump out of your seat and laugh out loud at the turn of a penny!
The creative team have darkened the set of an eerie farmhouse with flickering lights to intensify the atmosphere perfectly, using lighting and sound to accentuate the tension even further. Be prepared for the unexpected!
Tom Chambers (Danny) does a great job of drawing you into his messed-up world that is full of constant torture. Chambers sustains the intensity of craving for adoration and need to be loved, that is reflected in his addictions. Susie Blake (Mrs Bateman) is horrifyingly funny and scary all at once! Laura White (Sarah) switches swiftly from a needy 20 something to something unexpected. Jonny Green (Jake) gives us a believable grungy young adult, displaying an angry facade, that protects the wounded child inside. Mix this in with an ex-wife (Rebecca Charles) and estranged brother (Owen Oakeshott) and you have created one cocktail that will give you heartburn that’s for sure, definitely shaken, definitely stirred!