There seems to be a melancholic flavour to my shows thus far, which is not entirely surprising considering the subject matters have included clinical depression, ghosts and the First World War. Tonight, the doom and gloom reached a climax as I witnessed the wrath of Edgar Allan Poe with Town: A Spirited Story.
Based on the Gothic stories Berenice and Ligeia, the play explores passions gained and lost in a life stained with death and spoiled memory.
So, this isn’t really cheerful stuff and the main problem with the show is that it is so relentlessly uncheerful that the whole piece becomes lethargic and slow. Now, this is Edgar Allen Poe. Nobody should expect Fawlty Towers. But the tone is so grim that you really just want to get up, get out and feel the sun on your face again.
The young cast are, however, are all quite exceptional. The energy and concentration levels never cease from beginning to end, though each and every one of them did look emotionally exhausted by the time the lights came up. Trust me, they were not the only ones.
Poe’s dialogue sparkles and the youthful performers sparkle with it. But it’s just not enough to light up the stage.
Show Times: 8-11 Aug, 5.10pm
Ticket Prices: £6.50-8.50