★ ★ ★
The Fringe is a place for bold theatre. It’s a place to experiment and try something different, even if it doesn’t entirely work. Dead Cat Theatre Co. certainly fulfil the brief for originality and it’s refreshing to see confident new writing.
Comprising of three short plays, Our first involves an 11 year old girl going door-to-door selling cardboard, she knocks on the door of an unhinged angry man. He’s grief-stricken for his departed cat Mopsy. There is an absurd Pinteresque quality to the scene, full of anger and peculiar grace. Stephanie Burrell inhabits the little girl so realistically it is unsettling.
Lily Kuenzler’s writing is disturbed yet always justified, it isn’t shocking for its own sake. Jon Berry’s performance throughout is excellent, especially in the second monologue. He talks to a bucket of meat (which he also uses to stuff some stockings) called Angela. The monologue is done with such tenderness it is genuinely moving, a portrait of grief.
Kuenzler’s direction of her own writing isn’t always assured, perhaps she is too close to her material to fully realise it, and there were moments of indulgence that could benefit from being cut, especially in the final story. An Edgar Allen Poe like tale of a man buying everything he can for his wife, yet still not satisfying her. The writing sparkles but becomes muddled by dance that seemed out of place. Burrell’s movement is accomplished and her role as the caged wife authentic. Sam Bancroft’s original music compliments the piece well.
The Worst Thing You Can Do is strikingly original, no small feat when in competition with thousands of others. We look forward to more work from Kuenzler and Dead Cat Theatre co. they are certainly a group in the ascendancy.
