Set in a world of chaotic thought experiments and juvenile moral dilemmas, be wary of ‘Darkside’ luring you in under false pretences.
The performance is underscored to Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, which was the main draw of the show, despite having absolutely no relevancy to the script, or its contents, whatsoever.
The script is Tom Stoppard’s, and bears an exploratory, thought-provoking message regarding the humane moral compass, however, this performance did not do that justice.
It follows philosophy student Emily McCoy as she navigates the fine line between right and wrong, the characters in her head coming ‘alive’ to guide her through life. While the lead actress showed real promise, the ensemble delivered sub-par, monotone speeches as they emerged in and out of the audience.
Interrupting the performance every so often was a song from the classic album, accompanied by two interpretive dancers, not quite in time, rolling on the floor. Though clearly talented, the choreography did not play to their strengths and could have done with a few more weeks in rehearsal. The meaningful messaging this performance was trying to get across unfortunately falls slightly flat, not doing justice to Stoppard’s 2013 script. The score felt unnecessary and irrelevant, drawing in unsuspecting Pink Floyd fans for an hour of moral dilemmas.
Image provided via Hot Cat Collective press release.