Wildest Dreams, Assembly Roxy, Review

Fleeing from reality has never been so easy in our modern, tech-obsessed, iPhone-clutching culture, making Alan Ayckbourn’s 1991 dark comedy indescribably poignant for a 21st Century audience. Frequently allowing our day-to-day lives to be littered with constantly refreshing Twitter feeds, streams of Youtube videos and never ending internet shopping, without any regard for the consequences, The Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Group showcase the potential effects of this in their intimate and engaging production.

Wildest Dreams follows the intertwining stories of four outcasts who come together to escape their often mundane and regret-filled lives. Joining in a realm of never ending possibilities, as a party of heroes with desirable qualities, these four meet weekly to lose themselves in a role playing game created by their youngest member Warren. All is well until Marcie, a grounded realist with a vigour for life and new possibilities, tags along on their quest. Interacting and developing relationships with this new character inevitably ignites the downfall of our warriors.

Theatre is often referred to as an escape from reality and a way to focus on someone else’s problems for two and a half hours. This piece delves further into this notion, carefully constructing plot lines to encompass the numerous characters, ranging from Hazel and Stanley Inchbridge (Wendy Barret and Laurence Wareing), an elderly couple experiencing differing opinions of where they are in their lives; to the younger, timid Rick Toller (Wendy Brindle) who faces an internal fight with her past; and Warren Wringley (Stuart Townley) who truly believes he is not of this world. Each desiring other qualities and events to occur in their lives, these characters attempt to break free of their chains and battle an almighty force. As the play unfolds we notice their desires begin to bleed into their realities and ultimately cause their demise.

With interspersed action occurring over a three tiered, split stage, occasional offstage noises and technical issues were often distracting, however the alluring performances, particularly from Cari Sivills, Wendy Brindle and Wendy Barrett, instantly pulled your attention back.

Seasoned director Sara-Jane McGeachy’s interpretation of an intricate and dark piece enthralls the audience and holds its attention until the bitter end of these characters' journeys, allowing an experience which makes you hold a mirror up and ponder your own means of escape long after leaving the theatre.

Runs 11-14 November