Theatre

Pandora's Boxes

Alan Hindle | Saturday 13 August, 2011 15:12

Pandora, Husband and Baby Son live somewhere in a rural, folkloresque Russia, possibly existing in the split second the Wall came down and the west poured into the Motherland. They have nothing but snow and each other. Every day Husband descends into a pit to scrape for coal and Pandora plays with Baby Son, a terrifyingly life-like doll. They are happy. Then one day Husband finds a box and brings it in from the cold. Against Pandora’s wishes Husband opens the box, finding it full to bursting with Real Life and the outside Modern World. All one could hope for and dream of is available from the box on infinite Pay Forever Credit, and the price is merely everything you never knew you had.

Denise O’Leary’s script is terrific, wandering confidently into Gogol and Beckett territory. Building in snippets it creates an evocative Russian fairy tale that satirises the 21st century without ever becoming twee or forced. The entire cast are wonderful, completely absorbed in the reality of the play but able to improvise flawlessly when necessary. At one point Pandora’s sister (played by Tieva Lovell) loses her ratty blond wig. Rather than scrambling to jam the exploded Scotch Terrier back on her bonce she continues nonchalantly then swivels it back on when she feels like it. But of course the hair fell off. It’s crap hair. Later she chides the hairdresser who gave it to her (Stu-Art James) and the whole episode might have been written in the script all along. That’s class.

Camden Fringe page

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