Royal Court Upstairs: Midnight Movie Review
“Eve Leigh takes you from Poland to Korea, LA to India and leaves you kissing a stranger in your car”!
Oh, how I love the Royal Court! I had been feared to ever return after my first visit to see the play Goats by Liwaa Yazji. After taking the leap of faith, I returned to eventually come to the fact that I practically. Live. Here. Located in Splashy Sloane Square; With it’s industrial style interiors and their marvellous Samuel French bookshop, this not-for-profit Theatre is the ultimate place to go for new and emerging writing, great wine and to hunt for your next monthly read at book club. My favourite shows are put on in the Jerwood upstairs like this one! Today I’ll be reviewing ‘Midnight Movie’ directed by Rachel Bagshaw.
This play is a multi-sensory, episodic experience that puts your eyes to work. From spoken word to sign language, tingling captions and layers of sound. With crawling ants scattering the stage, this storytelling moment brings alive your whole body like you never thought Theatre could before.
I am welcomed into the auditorium with themes of Cuban music, rubber ducks and live instruments. I feel I have entered a 1980’s apartment, rented by two fashion stylists rather than the two avatars (Actors Tom Penn & Nadia Nadarajah). The set is shadowed by a large projection of static. The play began and I immediately entered a multiplayer game.
Midnight Movie presents you with two avatars that take you inside the internet. On a baffling journey, opening up numerous tabs, chatrooms, horror stories, and moments only the ‘digital body’ can witness. Director Eve Leighs experimental writing and Bagshaw’ brilliant vision makes you indulge into the anonymity of the dark web and will take you from one place to a multi-universe.
The play is accessible to all. All shows running are a relaxed performance. Allowing you to leave the space whenever needed. The performance is also Captioned, Audio Described and uses British Sign Language. The director even brings the play home to those who can’t make it to the Theatre (check out www.royalcourttheatre.com for further information). What I love about this is that the play is welcome to all and truly creates a magical theatrical experience that will be different for each and every audience member.
As much as I want to go into detail what this play is exactly about; from beginning, middle and end. I just can’t as there is no real structure to the storyline. It completely breaks down conventions, made me feel exposed and really questioned whether I should delete my Facebook account!
If you are someone who wants to know what’s going on by the second, this may not work for you. Midnight movie is a play where you need to let go and allow yourself to be open and immerse into what the show has to offer. If you’re looking for something off the beaten track, well, I have found your weekend plans! The play runs until the 21st December so book tickets now.