Review: Stressful Emergency Situation, Etcetera Theatre

Stressful Emergency Situation is performed with minimal staging – just a few chairs and an exit door made of paper, representing a sparse and isolated space where three colleagues find themselves trapped on the top floor of the office where they work. The only other person present is the newly designated Fire Warden, Angie (Kitty Seth-Smith). The three colleagues are Margaret (Rosie Grace), Sarah (Deirbhile Cunningham), and Linda (Beri Kahane). None of them is impressed by Angie’s officious dedication to her responsibilities, or understands why she has instructed them to assemble there, without their phones and with no way of leaving.

As Angie tries to explain the seriousness of the situation they find themselves in, both the colleagues and the audience start to wonder about her state of mind. As we learn about each character’s life, we discover that many secrets are being kept between them, and a growing sense of desperation to leave the top floor. But Angie is determined to protect them from whatever is going on outside.

Described as ‘an absurdist dark comedy’, this play didn’t disappoint. The characters are facing a bizarre and illogical problem without explanation, and the dialogue often makes no sense. Plus, the plot fails to progress to a satisfactory conclusion. While all of this is true to this production, it makes my personal interpretation actually irrelevant. The person sitting next to me will almost certainly have had a different take on what this play is about.

There is some music and physical theatre thrown in for good measure that is nice to watch and entertaining, but also out of place, which I guess is the point. As the ‘situation’ goes on, there is an increasing sense of tension amongst the colleagues, and Seth-Smith portrays Angie brilliantly as unhinged, vulnerable and possibly dangerous, although we’re not entirely sure. The cast is strong, and the characters’ personalities are well-defined. The show I saw was the first of a four-show run, and once the cast had settled into their roles, they all gave confident performances. I felt quite claustrophobic by the end and really wanted them to escape, but as I’m sure you can guess, it wasn’t as simple as will they or won’t they.

Having just returned from the Edinburgh Fringe, I can confirm that absurdist theatre seems to be having a bit of a moment right now, and this play should do well to ride this wave.

Created by The Dinner Ladies Collective

Stressful Emergency Situation plays at The Etcetera Theatre until Sunday 30 August as part of the Camden Fringe.