It’s always good to see theatre being used as a forum to explore
difficult topics and give a voice to underrepresented sections of society. In
the case of Animals, the latest play
from Emma Adams performed at Theatre 503, it’s the elderly who are put centre
stage. It’s rare to see many actors over the age of sixty on stage beyond
bit-parts, so Adams should certainly be commended for her work here, with a
very capable cast.
The crumbling, burnt and decaying set inside a bungalow
gives an immediate sense of the dystopia the audience are thrown into. This is
(according to the script) a “once respectable market town in North Yorkshire”
in the year 2046 after “the ‘sea arrived’”. In this future world, the
population are graded on their ability to contribute to society. For the young,
they are wrapped (literally) in bubble wrap until their eighteenth birthday
where a test will determine their worth. For those over sixty, coloured permits
are handed out by the ‘Utility Force’ – red means involuntary euthanasia,
unless they can pass a ‘reading’ (often aided by some Class A drugs). Psychological
conditioning is rife; language is heavily scrutinised; and the elderly are far
more intelligent, cunning and devious than the government give them credit for.
There are, then, some interesting concepts hidden away in
the depths of Adams’ script, but Animals is
something of a theatrical mess. For starters, many of the above details are not
clearly defined for the audience. Instead, we must piece together this dystopia
for ourselves. It’s not only confusing, it lacks credibility. Despite some
intriguing ideas, this is not ultimately a believable world, which somewhat
undermines the plot.
The plot, too, is confusing. Adams has attempted to
construct a grim, futuristic fairytale involving three witch-like old women and
some real-life cannibalism. Then there’s an oddly girlish teenager obsessed
with a balloon, her patronising Utility Force father, and a huge dose of
surreal weirdness. Thanks to a clunky and wordy script, the interactions
between characters don’t feel believable – something that’s not helped by
actors frequently stumbling over lines. This is a bizarre script that’s in dire
need of editing.
Mostly, it’s the juxtapositions and shifts of tone that are
predominantly at fault. There are moments of black comedy, mixed with a
murderous thriller and a dark fairytale, accompanied by a chip tune soundtrack. But Sweeney Todd this isn’t. The tonal concoction of satire and anger shatters
any sympathy we may have for the characters and never finds a balanced middle
ground. Instead, Animals feels
awkward and fails to put its topical points across in a lucid manner.
2/5
Watch: Animals runs
at Theatre 503 until 2nd May.
Photos: Richard Davenport