By Cal
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AoIzgAHGoc
Link with subtitles: https://www.scenesaver.co.uk/production/s-27-subtitled
Available until: Unknown
Content warning: 15
S-27 is a play about pain and hurt. About people
who have been ripped away from their old lives and forced into a new one where
they can’t be themselves. They have to be someone else; someone stronger. And
that’s just the lucky ones. The ones who got to live.
May is one of the lucky ones. She’s been given a job as a prison photographer and she has to photograph all the inmates. She has an assistant, June, and she’s supposed to be training her. June knows almost nothing about photography. May knows a lot. At the moment, she’s the only person who can do that job. That’s her best hope of surviving.
Survival is very important in Sarah
Grochala’s play, which was performed at the Finborough Theatre in 2009. All the
characters want to survive. They’ll do whatever they think they need to do in
order to achieve that. Even if it means hurting someone they care about. They
don’t get a choice.
Many people enter May’s room to be
photographed. They’re not necessarily criminals. They’re just people. Some
clearly have mental health problems, but there’s little patience or sympathy.
Some are desperate enough to do anything. Some clearly think they don’t belong
here and it shows in their behaviour. They’re not worn down yet. But they will
be.
Sometimes, May is faced with people
she knows – or used to know. She has to keep to the rules. There’s no escape
for them.
At times, May seems harsh and unkind.
She rejects friendliness and claims of acquaintance. She’s rude. She’s a bully.
But she’s like everyone else. She has
to do whatever it takes to survive. If she puts one foot wrong…
The Finborough Theatre is small and
creates the required claustrophobic effect for S-27, which takes place
in one room. Olivia Altaras’ set heightens the effect of being trapped, as all
the characters are in one way or another. The room is sparse and dilapidated.
There’s a door at the back of the stage. Sometimes, people go through it, but
we don’t see them do it. Whatever happens behind that door, we can only imagine
it. And I’m sure we all do. Director Stephen Keyworth clearly knows how to make
an audience feel uncomfortable. It’s agonising enough just watching on a
screen. It’s hard to imagine how it would have felt to sit in one small room
with such an overpowering play.
Pippa Nixon gives a powerful
performance of May. A hard, angry performance. Occasionally, we get to see what
May was like before. She had good qualities once. Before survival became all
that matters. Even if there are doubts about some of what she does now, it’s
sad to see the hints of who she used to be and to know that person is gone.
Probably.
Her assistant June is played by Brooke
Kinsella. At first, she seems quite friendly, but she soon realises she can’t
afford to be that person. She’s harsh and prickly, but there’s a vulnerability
about her too. As long as May keeps her on menial jobs which anyone could do, June
is expendable. Like so many people.
Amelia Saberwal and Kate Ward have
only a short time to tell their characters’ stories and much of the time, we
have to read between the lines. But their performances ensure we can feel what
their characters are feeling. Tom Reed is given a little more time and
background as Col and shows his vulnerability, as well as the fact he can be as
unrelenting as the others. Perhaps even the unacceptable behaviour of Jack
Pierce’s character also comes from a need to survive. Maybe he knows he has
nothing more to lose. All he can do is try to break someone else.
This review might put some people off
watching the play and it is very difficult to watch, but it’s an excellent play.
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