Review: The Garden

By Zoe Biles

There is something to be said for theatre which does not shout or scream, but rather is subtle and quiet, forcing the audience to think deeper than they usually would. The Garden, written by Zinnie Harris and directed by Rosa Crompton did just that. However, stellar acting performances aside, there was something distinctly missing from this production, something that just didn’t reach the thought provoking level of the script.

The Garden is a one act performance of the three act play, taking place after an unknown disaster in an unknown location. All the audience have information wise are two characters, Jane (Lily Cooper) and Mac (Edd Riley), as we are given a window into their lives following said disaster. And the world we witness is turned on its head by a small plant that appears underneath their linoleum kitchen floor, one morning. In a society where “everything dies except for this”, both characters are forced to question their sanity, their relationship, and their future in general.

Walking into the Drama Barn, the audience were immediately thrown into the drama of the play, as the dim lighting and thrust stage made us all feel like we were inside the home of Jane and Mac as soon as we sat down. Cooper being on stage, sprawled over a wooden chair, distant and unassuming, created a sombre and uneasy tone, and made the audience begin to see the world through her character’s eyes. The lino floor and wooden cabinet were the only distinguishing features of the set, successfully matching the raw and often bleak moments in the script.

In many ways the intimacy of the Drama Barn created the perfect space for such a play to be performed, as it had the potential to intensely impact such a small audience. Disappointingly, the performance did not quite reach such a level. Cooper and Riley were both excellent in their portrayal of a married couple falling apart at the seams. Cooper in particular carried her character with a piercing vulnerability that touched a lot of the audience. The chemistry between the two actors was maintained admirably throughout the entire show, a hard feat with a two-person cast. Riley’s performance epitomised that of a modern day business man, however lacked in strength a couple of times. Nevertheless, the acting was impressive and powerful as a collective.

It seemed to me that the points where the play lacked impact or strength were in the moments of hurriedness or rushed action. With the play being no longer than 40 minutes, I felt that there were definite moments where both movement and acting could have been slowed, to allow the audience to feel the intensity of the scenes. Transitions were also hugely messy, with one black out lasting what seemed like a lifetime, as we heard both actors work hard to move the set around for the next scene. The undoubted moments of genius appeared when dialogue began to flow, and the two actors eased into their element, something which should be congratulated and admired for such a raw and minimalistic script.

Overall, this play worked well with the material it had, and largely suffered due to technical decisions rather than the performances given by the actors. It was very refreshing to see a different style of play be performed in the Barn, and was definitely something which should not have been missed. 

You can listen to Zoe's review by visiting the URY Player