What I liked
The tension building in this play was top-notch. As soon as it started, the action hooked me and I could not get free even if I wanted to. The escalation was suitably ridiculous but managed to stay grounded somehow. I could hardly believe an hour had gone by when all was said and done.
The actors are all fantastic too, each one of them playing their roles with incredible commitment. Each character had such a strong, clear, and different point of view that their interactions left me laughing, furious, and frightened.
There is a lot to deconstruct in the way the characters behave – each one is a stand-in for a particular type of person and a savvy viewer will see the political arguments play out even though most of the dialogue stays away from actually being overtly political. It would have been so easy for this show to have been little more than navel-gazing social commentary. I’m so glad that it had much more meat than that.
And can I just say that the ending couple lines of the show are delicious?
What I didn't like
As a tight, tense, familial drama steeped in the politics of the day, it works perfectly. I’m sitting here, trying to think of a critique or two, but nothing’s coming.
My overall impression
This play was a masterclass in increasing tension and does a wonderful job bringing macro issues down to a micro level. It’s a whirlwind of a ride that you should not miss this Fringe!
