An interesting dystopian conversation dampened by its ambiguities. Rating
Good
Barbary Lion by the Seed to Stage Theatre Company premieres at the Drayton Arms, and it’s a story that follows a man and a woman, named in the programme as Mister Man (Sam Brenner) and Miss Lady (Anna-Jane Macpherson), in a conversation that evolves from a ‘getting-to-know-each-other’ to something more sinister. The play promises an exploration of identity in times of crisis, and while there is certainly a good attempt at that, the ambiguities and unanswered questions it leaves behind dampen whatever impact this show could leave.
Chandler Hubbard’s work does not hide the fact that it is as dystopian as it can get. Between the Black Mirror-esque premise, the references to water as a luxury and the extinction of pandas (two of the many future possibilities the doomsday clock has promised), along with the slightly-off slang, the audience can understand from the first few minutes that the conversation is taking place far into an unpleasant future. A tense and uneasy mood, fitting for such a story, is immediately established and maintained throughout. This dystopian setting is aided by the set itself, which feels sterile and uncanny. There is little variety when it comes to lighting and sound design, but it is this monotony, interrupted only when the story needs it, that helps build tension.
The dialogue between the two characters reveals as much about their world as it does about them. Hubbard’s script is filled with pauses, digressions, and vulnerabilities that would naturally arise in any conversation, making it quite engaging. Both characters are well explored and constructed, and their identities are deeply tied to their individual experiences and to the world they live in. Throughout the early part of the show, it is this exploration that drives the narrative. Brenner and Macpherson’s interpretations of the characters perfectly fit the script. Their back-and-forth is natural and well-paced, their mannerisms fit the descriptions given through dialogue, and their American accents feel natural.
The exploration of identity, though, starts losing its power when more is revealed about the situation they are in. The conversation is sometimes interrupted by either a blue light or a jingle, signifying that they are going off-topic or taking too long. There is no explanation as to why those moments are not correct. When it is theorised that their compatibility, announced in the premise but seemingly non-existent in conversation, is actually based on racial factors, the whole exploration of personal identity is put into question. If racial compatibility is the determining factor for putting them together, then getting to know their individual identities is but a formality. However, there is no confirmation as to whether this is the actual case or not. At the end, Miss Lady is asked to make a decision, and she does, but without fully knowing what it is she decides to do, nor knowing how much Mister Man actually knows about their situation, it feels confusing and too open-ended.
The play offers no conclusion as to why this specific conversation is important or why the audience should be invested in it. This ambiguity weakens an interesting exploration of identity and of a future that, while dystopian, feels too possible, too familiar, to ignore.
Director: Harrison Hartley
Playwright: Chandler Hubbard
Show Operator: Anthony Draycott
Artistic Director: Audrey Thayer
Technical Manager: Jessica Parritt
Barbary Lion has completed its run at The Drayton Arms
