This production is a self-proclaimed exploration of grief and its effect on different people. Looking back I can somewhat draw this takeaway, but disjointed scenes made for quite chaotic and confusing viewing.
The series of vignettes were played by three actresses, interweaving between who was playing the griever and who was playing the consoling ‘other’. These separate scenes explore grief in all its different manifestations, from the day of death to the wake, to the therapy sessions that follow, and finally the grief’s place many years after the death.
Greenside Infirmary Street is a rather oppressive environment – being extremely warm and humid, yawns and droopy eyes came in thick and fast not at the fault of the performers, but the venue. Furthermore, the minimal set and simple dialogue made this piece less engaging, despite its interesting pitch. A lesson in theatrical voice projection would not have gone amiss as, even on the second row, I struggled to hear a great deal of the dialogue, with a lot of grief-stricken mumbling rendering the script only half heard.
However, with the benefit of the doubt that these teething troubles were down to opening night nerves and adjustments, this performance holds real potential to be a powerful exploration of the effect of death on life. It celebrates the little moments of joy even in a life gripped by grief and the actors had real promise beyond the nervous looks into the audience and awkward final bow that had clearly never been rehearsed before.
For the comfort of those watching, easing off the hot air coursing around the room would most likely make for a perkier audience. Yet the script was cleverly written and has the potential to flourish, but perhaps a few practice runs in the morning would do it no harm.
White Butterfly was on at Greenside @ Infirmary Street – Mint Studio at 1:30pm on 25 and 26 August.
Image provided to The Student as press material.