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| Camilla Blunden in "All This Living" |
Written and performed by Carmilla
Blunden
Director: Rochelle Whyte. Designer:
Imogen KeenSound Design: Kimmo Vennonen. Lighting Design: Gillian Schwab
Presented by The Street in
Association with Carmilla Blunden.
Street Theatre until May 31st.
Reviewed by Bill Stephens
With a
running time of just 50 minutes, “All This Living” is a dense, abstract play which demands
intense concentration without rewarding it.
Whatever the
merits of the writing, or insights contained therein, they are so obscured by
the distracting symbol-laden direction, that little room is left to engage or
empathise with the character.
Entering the
theatre the audience discovers Blunden lying on the floor among a collection of
cloth covered mounds. She’s clad neck to toe in a furry grey wolf-like onesie
which certainly spikes curiosity. The
elderly being treated as road-kill perhaps?
When she does sit up her hairstyle resembles that of a Greek goddess.
One by one she
removes the cloths from the mounds to reveal steel cooking pots containing various
props including a necklace made of kitchen utensils and plastic clothes pegs
which she clips to herself. Symbolism overload.
The reason
for the onesie is never explained, but the dialogue, much of which is delivered
in an arch, wide-eyed style, does contain references to Greek gods, witches, wolves,
fairy tales and legends. Also scattered throughout are references to difficulties
associated with ageing, like being ignored in shops, and maintaining a
satisfactory sex life, but no new revelations or insights.
Blunden is a
very good actor, and her vocal delivery is exemplary. Every word of her
dialogue is crystal clear, but they are not well served by a production which
confuses rather than clarifies their meaning and intent.