HEARTBREAK HOTEL
by Lucy Benson-Brown.
The Jetty Greenwich Peninsula SE10 0JF To 30 August 2015.
Tue–Sun 6.30pm, 7.30pm, 8.30pm, 9.30pm.
Runs 1hr No interval.
TICKETS: 020 3770 2212.
www.heartbreakhoteljetty.com
Review: William Russell 9 June.
The end of the pier show.
The Jetty is a temporary platform for immersive performance on a site being developed as a new space for art and design. Its summer show is one of those immersive theatre gigs in which the pier, handy for the O2, is transformed into a specially built hotel in whose rooms assorted guests cavort.
The pier is splendidly situation right by the cable cars across the Thames, the views are glorious as night falls and you can eat street food and drink in the bar before and after the show.
As for the show, the seven actors involved are undeniably talented and make the most of material which never really adds up to anything much. What happens in one room does not seem to have much bearing on anything or anybody, although sometimes a character from one playlet will encounter a character from another.
We are conducted from room to room by the hotel staff and are allegedly attending some sort of course run by Aching, Creative, Heartfelt Experiences (Ache) which will liberate our minds, souls and emotions, although at times the emotion that swept over me most was a wish that someone would get me out of there.
But to be fair, it is all good, quite clean fun and with a drink beforehand, a couple afterwards and a trip on the cable cars it adds up to a good night out.
It would have been better had the little playlets had something to say about the human condition worth learning, but it is summer and, it being an end of the pier show, one can always jump off the pier – or retreat to the bar. Best bit actually was the anonymous entertainer who does magic card tricks for those waiting to go in. Now he was really something special.
Leah: Lucy Benson-Brown.
Foxy: Natalia Campbell.
Julia: Rebecca Oldfield.
Jaxson: Jack Brown.
Roger: Will Harrison-Wallace.
Patrick: Tom Radford.
Alfred: Ashley Campbell.
Director: Sam Curtis-Lindsay.
Designer: Carla Goodman.
Lighting: Chris Withers.
Sound: Jon Mcleod.
2015-06-10 15:31:15
