Review: Ivories, Old Red Lion Theatre

Ivories, written and produced by Riley Elton McCarthy (also starring as Sloan), is full of engaging character drama, tension and mystery. And that is before any paranormal elements begin to emerge.

Sloan is a successful playwright specialising in the horror genre and is in the perfect location to provide inspiration: the rundown and creepy old family home during the final days of their dying grandmother. They are preparing to sell off the house as soon as possible; whilst botanist husband Gwyn (Matthias Hardarson) tidies the neglected garden their estate agent friend Beckham (Daniel Neil Ash) produces a series of promotional tour videos to encourage buyers. Although the three are very close, each is withholding secrets from the others, which causes enough tension and paranoia even before the influences of the sinister neighbour (Ashley M. Cowles) and the seemingly supernatural house start to take hold.

The passionate performances of the cast bring McCarthy’sstrong dialogue and engaging plot developments to life in situations calm, tender, frantic and confrontational. This establishes audience investment and care for the characters, which sets stakes for when the dangers start to emerge. Director Georgie Rankom balances the pace and emotions of the interactions between the cast, the disconcerting uncovering of the various mysteries and the frantic reactions to the supernatural.

Even before they begin interacting with each other, we get a good sense of each character’s personality through Verity Johnson’s costume design. Sloan’s practical checked shirt and combat trousers identifies a practical rural upbringing and no-nonsense personality, whilst Gwyn’s rugged boots, jeans and waxed jacket convey his preference for being outdoors in nature. Beckham’s flamboyant, bohemian style immediately sets him at odds with the rural surroundings: striped t-shirt, bright yellow Ascot and perfectly coordinated navy jacket and shoes.

All elements of production design perfectly complement each other to build on the atmosphere. Johnson’s detailed set design fully conveys the sense of unease in the house. The walls are full of mould and exposed beams where the plaster has fallen away, there are worn Persian rugs, an anachronistic letter rack and housephone, a bucket to catch drips from a leaky room, old books and creepy dolls. The set is designed with two entrances, one to a bedroom (the backstage area) and the other to the garden; they are strategically placed apart so that both cannot be in direct eyesight at the same time. When a flickering light or movement draws the audience’s focus to one entrance, there will be a fleeting sign of movement from the other, just in the corner of the eye, gone when the head is turned to look. This greatly adds to the sense of unease and paranoia – was there really movement, or was it just imagined? When Gwyn is insistent that a painting of grandma looks different, it leads the audience to second guess themselves on whether he is just imagining it.

Adam Lenson’s inventive sound design adds to the unease, with creaky floorboards, unsettling whispers and thunderclaps all heightening the mood. Skylar Turnbull Hurd’s lighting is highly atmospheric: flickering lightbulbs or lightning flashes cause jump scares when someone suddenly arrives or changes positions in the split second of darkness. During scene changes, all the stage lights go out except for a solitary lightbulb which transfixes one of the cast and keeps the focus of the audience so that the repositioning of the others goes unnoticed in the darkness.

Ivories holds a lot of secrets to uncover, both on a human level between the characters and on the paranormal front from the increasingly disconcerting house. Both aspects are thrilling to experience.

Written by Riley Elton McCarthy
Directed by Georgie Rankom 
Produced by Riley Elton McCarthy
Set and costumes designed by Verity Johnson
Lighting designed by Skylar Turnbull Hurd 
Sound designed by Adam Lenson

Ivories plays at the Old Red Lion Theatre until Saturday 26 July.