‘A hilarious, engaging and thought provoking play, definitely one to watch!’
Two actors walk onto a minimalist stage and introduce themselves, instantly breaking the fourth wall. Jill played by Dani Heron and Ollie by Martin Quinn are immediately likeable. From the offset you feel like a friend hearing the story of their idyllic home but it soon becomes clear that beneath the surface things are not as they seem.
Their tale is a dark one but they tell it in such a relatable manner that you find yourself frequently laughing out loud and starting to question if you have any morals at all. The clear, engaging story telling encourages you to use your imagination as they describe in detail how events unfold.
Philip Ridley’s play is a commentary on greed, desire and the need to keep up with the latest trends, as well as the dream to build a new and better life. It also touches on the pressure young parents feel to provide the best possible life for their new baby. As it progresses, you find yourself considering what lengths you might go to if you were in Ollie and Jill’s shoes.
The direction by John McKnight is fast-paced and sharp leading the audience into unexpected places and dark corners which they secretly enjoy.
The bare stage is cleverly lit to highlight moments in their story and to tell the audience which room the scene is set in. The modern, vibrant lighting changes colour to match the tone of emotion they feel as they tell their tale. Sound is also used to enhance the story telling and draw you into Jill and Ollie’s world.
Early on, we are also introduced to another character, Miss Dee played by Julie Wilson Nimmo. Miss Dee is a bold and bright personality who cleverly weaves the story together. Although she rarely takes the stage, her character remains ever present throughout. However, it is mainly through the eyes of the leads Ollie and Jill, that the audience hears the story.
The first act has lots of humours moments weaved throughout but gets progressively darker in tone and as the second act begins, you wonder if Ollie and Jill may start to have a change of heart.
The penultimate scene, the birthday party showed an incredible feat of acting as the audience watched numerous characters from the neighbourhood come together all shown through the description of Ollie and Jill. This scene alone makes this play a must see.
As the play comes to an end, we see Ollie and Jill grapple with costs of their new designer lifestyle. Are all these beautiful things truly worth the sacrifices they have made? And the audience are left wondering, just what lengths would you go to for your dream home?
REVIEWER: Evie Greenstreet