The goal of many alcoholics is the blackout – the point at which drinking leads to memory loss. But what leads someone to that state? Why would they choose to self-harm?
This piece of verbatim theatre follows the same structure as
the recovery process, beginning with frenzied chaos. The five performers dizzyingly cross the
stage speaking their fractured lines over one another. It’s confusing, but it reflects the giddy rush
of excitement of getting drunk, of not knowing where you’ll wake up after the
blackout. It’s also very amusing –
listening to the various anecdotes, it makes you wonder what’s so bad about
alcohol after all?
That soon comes. The
next act brings a change of character: violence, abuse, rape. Here we witness five people struggling to
take control, wrestling with denial and deluding themselves until the point of
rock-bottom. Recovery does come, but it
doesn’t come easily. When reality hits,
it’s all too easy to switch to another vice.
Sobriety is tough when dealing with life’s tragedies leading to a lack
of self-confidence. Recovery is
ultimately positioned as a spiritual awakening: whether having faith in God,
some other higher power, or simply finding positivity in humanity.
In fact, positivity is the overall message of Blackout. This is a play fuelled by hope, presenting an
honest, powerful and truthful vision of life as an alcoholic.
However, what it gains in verisimilitude, it lacks in drama. With the piece scripted entirely from
interviews with recovering alcoholics (including lead writer Mark Jeary
himself, who also performs), it sometimes feels more like watching an AA
meeting than an actual play. Lighting
and choreographed movement do add a sense of theatricality, but mostly dramatic
issues lie in the presentation of character, despite some excellent physical
and emotional performances. With
overlaying stories, individual characters become difficult to discern and are
underveloped – some are far stronger than others. More so, the characters may touch on tragedy
in their speeches, but the overall positive message gives them an air of
invincibility. One character doesn't survive, but he’s quickly forgotten.
Ironically enough for a verbatim piece, the characters feel more like a collection
of quotes than human.
On an educational level, though, Blackout certainly works as a thought-provoking piece. It may be performed in a pub, but I steered
well clear of any alcoholic drinks.
3/5
