Death and Gardening Review

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Rating (out of 5)
4
Show info
Company
Wet Picnic
Production
Matt Feerick (Artistic Director) Bernadette Russell (Writer Deviser) Viktor Lukawski (Deviser) Charlotte Dubery (Deviser) Nessa Norich (Deviser) Gwenelle Mendoça (Deviser) Kate Hazel (Alchemy Productions Producer) Coleen Macpherson (Production Manager) Alice Walkling (Set & Costume Designer) Charlie Lucas (Lighting Designer) Ross Flight (Sound Designer) Will Ashwell ( Production Assistant)
Performers
Viktor Lukawski (David Fanshaw) Charlotte Dubery (Susan Fanshaw) Nessa Norich (Mother / Chuck) Gwenelle Mendoça (Nurse / Perry)
Running time
60mins

David Fanshaw is dying and he's not happy about it, not one little bit. Death's travel agents are desperate to get him signed up and packed away ASAP. And never has there been such a strange collective desperately trying to get the customer to sign on the dotted line.

Running in the Assembly Roxy, Wet Picnic bring a clever, amusing and wittily devised piece about the lingering death of David Fanshaw; desperately trying to hang on in his hospital bed while three yellow clad emissaries of the after life gentle and sometimes brutally try to coax him away.

The four actors delivery sensitively balanced and observed performances ranging from the funny and slapstick through to the sad and moving. The interplay and exchanges between the actors feel authentic and beautifully timed. Scenes play out from David's past full of remorse, regret or longing, these quickly transition into further encounters with death's representatives.

There are some very funny characters here, great timing in delivery of lines and a beautiful finale. The mix of physical theatre, dialogue and variety of scenes is well paced. I would have liked to have seen some areas further developed and examined more, but 60 minute is simply not enough time.

Runs until the 26 August, 18:10. Suitability 12+