Review: Sunland, Lion & Unicorn Theatre

I am aware this sounds unforgivably pompous in the context of a climate emergency play that sticks it to the boomers, but back in my day, the destruction of the world seemed much more fun than it does today. I’m looking at you, 1984 Flash Gordon movie.

Alongside Ming the Merciless, countless others, including Bond villains, alien races, impromptu ice ages, super-evolved monkeys and minds immeasurably superior to our own, have treated the demise of the human race as nothing less than feel-good entertainment.

Now, however, a glut of emerging theatre makers seems to have taken to the London fringe stage to tackle the subject seriously. It seems superheroes and special effects are out. Real introspection and naturalism are in. This is, of course, a roundabout way of explaining that I approached Sunland with a sense of trepidation. Its publicity makes it sound rather earnest and a bit of a downer… which it is, but thankfully that’s only half the story.

Writer Madeline Whitby has taken the politics of world-ending catastrophe as a prompt to dissect toxic friendships. Watching the bickering between four characters — Bo (Isaiah James-Mitchell), Yael (Rebecca Goddard), Fran (Gigi Downey), and Charlie (Lily Walker) — all in their 20s, might seem flippant in the context of Armageddon, but emotive clashes between frenemies are actually the show’s great strength.  Yes, exchanges sometimes forego subtly and nuance the way a brick foregoes a shop window, but it is difficult to criticise a piece of work about the end of days for being too dramatic. There’s plenty of well-played humour too, even at the last.

The story – of which I shall share little to avoid spoiling a few surprises – is effective in a minor key. The action unfurls neatly in a series of non-linear scenes. The moment the timeline falls into place is probably the play’s most satisfying. ‘Ahh, I get it’ is always an enjoyable moment for an audience. The final moments, when they come, will divide audiences. Some will find the end a neat, direct provocation; others, like me, will find it an unnecessary step that unfortunately cheapens the effort that precedes it. You pay your money, you take your pick.

Direction from Madison Cole is effective, without being showy. Her only misstep may be making Charlie, as a character, too villainous an antagonist. Walker tries hard to show us flashes of vulnerability and weakness amidst lots of shouting and name-calling, but isn’t given the time or space to reveal much beneath the surface.  

Lighting and sound are suitably sombre, hinting at the death that surrounds the young quartet, or perhaps more accurately, haunts them. Saying more definitely risks spoiling the plot, so I will end now and leave you with this thought. The days of camp fun at the end of the world may be over, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t revealing stories to tell. 

Written by Madeline Whitby
Directed by Madison Cole
Production by Gigi Downey
Assistant Production by Alicia Gilmartin

You can read more about this show in our recent interview here.

Sunland plays at the Lion & Unicorn Theatre as part of Camden Fringe until Wednesday 30 July.