Pleasance Theatre, London – until 17th July 2022
Reviewed by Celia Armand Smith
3***
Rapture, written by Sophie Leydon and produced by the LGBTQIA+ collection Pink Sky Theatre, is an exciting exploration of the lives of three young people navigating life, love, and trauma in East London. The play centres around three flatmates; Rosy (Izzy Neish) and Kit (Sam Crerar) who are in a relationship, and their best friend Tommy (Bryan Moriarty), all of whom are struggling with their pasts and presents. At the start of the show, the dynamic between the main characters is fiery but good natured and full of love, however things soon start to unravel as other characters are introduced.
Spoken word poetry, direct to audience monologues, and dialogue (plus a bit of audience participation) are used to convey the story, keeping us on toes. The transitions, especially in the first half, are smooth and the pace is snappy. The actors switch between characters and settings using clever tweaks in tone and a limited number of props. From colleagues, to family members, to party goers, it was never difficult to discern which character was present. There are no big sets or costumes, but they are not missed. It is atmospheric enough already.
As we walked into the theatre, there was a list of trigger warnings that we had to OK before entering which include substance abuse, suicidal ideation, self harm, dead naming, and sexual assault. Big topics that are tackled with delicacy and heart (and a few laughs) in this honest celebration of the queer urban family.