| The Minotaur in Me by Paul Whittaker |
| First presented in 2006 by Hide Production |
|
cast size:2
synopsis: The play is a fascinating study of a character who suffers from bi-polar manic depression and is just trying to find her place in the world and how to live with her condition. The play also touches on other themes such as communication, family, understanding and living with disability. |
There is 1 review of Hide Production's The Minotaur in Me in our database:
| Not revolutionary, but entertaining and admirable... | |
|
The Minotaur in Me
by Paul Whittaker
|
[print] |
|
venue Sherman Theatre Cardiff |
|
|
July 21, 2006 |
|
| Theatre is fast becoming a recurrent tool used to represent, discuss and challenge issues burning a hole in the pocket of society. Drama can be seen as a public, non-intrusive vehicle used to communicate to the wider spectrum through a variety of means. Many questions can be tossed onto the bonfire of discussion such as what impact does communication have on our understanding? Does understanding encourage sympathy? What does sympathy achieve? and to what extent can outside intervention treat mental illness. These were some of the issues perspiring from the theatrical body of Paul Whittaker’s The Minotaur in Me dripping on to its sweltering audience, locked in a hazy absorption. A play that proclaims to be tackling mental health issues always intrigues me. With so many ugly stigmas floating around our flighty society, and with new branches forever sprouting on our pharmaceutical tree you can never be sure what you are going to observe. The Minotaur in Me grapples with the subject of manic depression through the cloudy eyes of Hilda Dee, a charming and endearing young woman trying to keep her grip on the rope of reality. With the help of her mythical mate Minotaur, who signifies her inner beast, Hilda confronts her frustrating, critical cousin Stephen with wit and aptitude, eventually unearthing his deep, fiery jealousy, simmering since their childhood. With the exit of her reluctant relative and the clarity she encounters through her befriended beast Hilda finds an inner strength and optimism that further fuels her journey of discovery. A detailed and thoughtful set shapes Hilda’s tiny flat, which despite its slummy location brings independence to a previously shackled soul. It is cluttered and unsystematic but represents perfectly her distorted mind. Occasional short film sequences are projected onto the high, white staircase, screening snippets of the outside world. Whilst this was a worthy concept it did not fill its full potential making little impact on my curious mind. Danielle Veronica Taylor gives a sterling performance as the troubled Hilda. Whilst I have to admit to not being totally convinced by her character’s mental condition, her portrayal of the young woman struggling with life was both engaging and conceivable. Taylor executes her character’s humour and wit with a subtle radiance that was a pleasure to observe. The entrance of the commanding metaphoric Minotaur (played perfectly plausibly by Neil Jeremiah) signifies the launch of Hilda’s psychological ripening. At first she is dominated by fear and uncertainty, but as she learns to communicate and co-exist with her new found friend she also discovers she is able to live and converse with herself, thus gaining some sort of control over her testing existence. Her dislikeable cousin Stephen, who is a classic example of what is wrong with our society’s attitude to mental illness, is portrayed competently by Michael Poole. He emphasised his characters negative attitude effectively and was successful in portraying the seemingly destructive assistance he offers to his cousin. Paul Whittaker claims he wants the audience to leave this production with a new perspective on mental illness. Whilst I was not bowled over by this play I was entertained and made to think about possible pre conceptions lurking at the back of my mind. The Minotaur in Me is not a revolutionary production but it is a very admirable one and one that has found a happy home in my memory. |
|
| reviewer: Amy Stackhouse |
|
| If you know of any other existing review, or if you have any more information on The Minotaur in Me, (perhaps you were in the production or were the author or director) then please use the form below to send us the details |