Category: Theatre

Benedict Esdale does it all in this entertaining 50-minute piece. He portrays a plethora of characters and serves as the production’s primary narrative driving force. The play opens with a whirlwind of characters, Esdale switching between them with impressive speed. While at first it seems impossible to keep track of who-is-who, Esdale’s immensely specific and distinct character choices make the characters quickly fall into a logical cerebral order. It becomes easy to follow the piece’s narrative despite one person playing every single character. In many one-man productions, productions generally stick to a small number of characters for the sole performer to switch in between. Knapsack flies in the face of this generality, creating a play that hosts a myriad of complex people that fill the life of the piece’s protagonist. 

Herman, Knapsack’s main character, feels generally isolated. He doesn’t have any friends, and feels terrified whenever the potential to make some arises. He avoids talking to others, fearing ridicule and embarrassment. He believes wholeheartedly that the world is out to get him, stemming from deep-set childhood angst. All this changes when his one colleague, Helena, asks him out for a drink. 

A series of delightfully absurd circumstances later, Herman finds himself in the midst of some strange metamorphosis. He discovers that he needs to literally and figuratively come out of his shell if he is ever to find happiness. As he emerges, he discovers that the world is not, in fact, out to get him and that his coworkers are, in fact, nice people who would like to be his friend, if given the chance. 

Knapsack is a short and sweet piece that leaves audiences with a sense of hope, something everyone could do with a little more of in this arguably difficult world we inhabit.

Moon Kim’s creation of the psychological drama The Waiting Room is an explorative, vibrant insight into the depths of the Anxious Attachment Style. The one-woman marvel of a plot investigates Kim’s character ‘Lemon’ relationship with her girlfriend ‘Catus’. Throughout the 60 minutes we go on the journey of uncovering why ‘Lemon’ behaves and clings to her girlfriend the way she does. 

Through the direction of Esalan Gates, this play is simply a beautiful and clear portrayal of how mentally draining it is to suffer from anxious attachment style. Having the constant need to be near your loved one, the need to know what they are doing, the need to know they are happy being with you. The confusion and self-hatred caused by needing them to stay. Kim’s performance and writing of the play comes from a place of truth and hurt. 

Kim’s physical performance is breathtaking. Her commitment and large physicality is passionate and compelling. From starting the performance by walking along the wall, feeling the texture with her hands to her mad dash to open Catus’ door at the end, the physical aspect of the play is a masterpiece and Gates’ clearly aided this triumph. In addition, the idea of changing the costumes on stage and the use of props were a bold choice that worked perfectly in showing the vulnerability and desperation anxious attachment style causing those who are affected by it. 

However, the pacing of the show at times was flat and stagnated. On occasions, it felt as if we were sitting around waiting for something to happen. Scene changes or the scenes themselves are just too long to keep engaging. Furthermore, the choice of the flashing lights with the voice-over of Lemon’s thoughts was a clever idea but incredibly overused to the point it was predictable. 

To conclude, The Waiting Room is a delicate, transparent play which everyone should see as it’s a perfect example of what anxious attachment style really is. With a few little alterations with Kim’s writing skills and command of the stage, The Waiting Room has the capabilities to be an outstanding show.