Review: Bloody Bloody Kansas, Hen & Chickens Theatre

I’m a sucker for anything that promises a little bit of gore, so Bloody Bloody Kansas found its way onto my radar quite quickly whilst checking through what Camden Fringe had to offer. Based on a true story, Bloody, Bloody Kansas explores the Bender family, thought to be responsible for the murder of more than a dozen people travelling through the state of Kansas looking for a better life in 1870s America.

This co-production from Central Standard Theatre and The Fishtank certainly sticks to the facts, although there really aren’t that many of those, which might explain the rather short runtime of around 35 minutes.  Now, there’s nothing wrong with a short runtime at Camden Fringe; many shows really are work in progress and so still testing things out, but in this case, it just feels like a case of many missed opportunities to really bring this story to life. 

What we do get is superbly presented. All set to dimmed lights and eerie soundscapes, the sound of heartbeats may be a regular effect, but use them in the right place and they work well. The cast of four (Heidi Van, Katie Gilchrist, Vanessa Davis and Bob Paisley) does a fine job of leading us through events. Beginning with daughter Kate conducting a seance and luring an unsuspecting traveller to their home to be murdered by her brother John Jr., but when the wife of a missing traveller comes looking for her husband, the Benders’ crimes come to light with the discovery on their land of numerous bodies. 

Along with the light and sound, the use of a white sheet to create shadows as performers stand behind it really ramps up the tension. Watching a hammer being lifted and brought down on the back of an unsuspecting guest looks fantastic, as do later scenes as their land is searched for bodies. It is a cunning way to depict the horrors of events without a need for making a mess with actual fake blood (although I must admit a slight disappointment that the white sheet doesn’t end with red streaks all over it)! The script is equal in measure with everything else, at times lyrical as they recount the story, the softly spoken words at odds with the actual meaning of the words. 

But this all simply makes it even more frustrating that the story is not fleshed out further. There’s so much more depth that could be mined, more murders to be considered, more thoughts as to the why of it all. It does feel like an opportunity missed, given the quality of what we do get.  The company clearly set out to give a truthful telling, never speculating as to their motives, or what may have happened to the family who fled before their land was searched. But this is theatre, we want speculation, we want flights of fantasy that may not stick to the facts but take on the story being presented. Bloody Bloody Kansas is a great show for lovers of the macabre. Even without fake blood splashing everywhere, it still has plenty to offer. I just wish they had taken a few more liberties with the facts.

Conceived, Written & Directed by Heidi Van
Produced by: Bob Paisley

Bloody Bloody Kansas has completed its run at The Hen & Chickens Theatre