| The Drowned World by Gary Owen |
| First presented in 2002 by Professional Company outside Wales |
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synopsis: Presented by Paines Plough in association with Graeae Theatre A vicious tale of love, revolt and beauty In a land where the ethnic cleansing of the beautiful is almost at an end, where physical perfection is destroying the nation’s moral will and society’s sense of well-being is decaying through ‘radiance’ poisoning, Tara and Julian are waiting for the order to come - these people must die. On the run from the squad, Darren shelters the couple, believing Tara is the angel sent to save him. As Kelly, the enforcer of the order draws closer, she entices him to denounce the runaways they both loathe but secretly covet, forcing Darren to resort to violent measures to ensure his saviour is safe. Gary Owen creates a nihilistic new world where the imperfect, once spurned have taken control, where suburbia is sick and attraction is ultimately fatal. THE DROWNED WORLD is directed by Vicky Featherstone, designed by Neil Warmington, lighting designed by Natasha Chivers and sound by Nick Powell. The full cast is Josephine Butler (Lawless Heart), Theo Fraser Steele (Before You Go), Neil McKinlen and Eileen Walsh Artistic Director of Paines Plough, Vicky Featherstone is one of the most inspired and inspiring directors of her generation and a passionate producer of new work. |
There is 1 review of Professional Company outside Wales's The Drowned World in our database:
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The Drowned World
by Gary Owen
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[print] |
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venue Chapter, Cardiff |
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September 23, 2011 |
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| It was a brave decision of F.A.B. Theatre’s Artistic Director, to stage this, one of many award winning Gary Owen plays. It won a Fringe First and was joint winner of Pearson Best Play award at The Edinburgh Fringe in 2002 in a production by Paines Plough. The Scotsman described it as “a flawless production.” If Crazy Gary’s Mobile Disco was the playwright’s Hamlet this play must be his Macbeth with its bloody images and one character craving the eyes of another. Are they all already drowned? Are we being invited to share in their desperate dreams? The writing is poetic with many telling images and allegories. The director has wisely decided to give the play the simplest setting and let the words breathe through the clearly drawn characters. The older couple Tara and Julian seem, for no very good reason, but there never is, to be alienated from the ‘citizens’ and are continually threatened with elimination by them. Brendan Charleston plays Julian with a great warmth and dignity and provides a strong shield for Valmai Jones’ Tara, she portrays the very frightened woman with great clarity. The two ‘citizens’ are John Norton, Darren and Katy Owen, Kelly. Norton does a fine job as the down to earth everyman figure, though he is continually looking for a guardian angel. The energetic ball of charisma that is Katy Owen in some ways fulfils this role for him, though her main task seems to be a wide-eyed elimination of everyone who is not part of her clan. Far back on a dimly lit stage each character sits on top of a shining aluminium ladder with the bare stage in front of them. That same bareness floats over us and draws us into the story. There is a narrative that drives the play forward but it is not the essential part of the performance. The play explores conflict and dictatorship but offers us no promising way out. It is the bloody and tearing images that stay in the mind, the knife that Tara inexplicably drives into Julian and the graphic and strong poetic description of the wound. The ever present threat of people setting people on fire; everyone is lost in this beautifully drawn picture of madness and the failings of human nature. The atmosphere holds the eye and captivates the mind. Following on from its production of Ian Rowlands ‘Blink’ it looks as if we can continue to expect strong and challenging drama from F. A. B. Theatre |
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| reviewer: Michael Kelligan |
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