Review: Cascando, Jermyn Street Theatre

Well, that was pretty interesting!  Very odd, but in a good way.

Cascando is a short half-hour piece for radio, written by Samuel Beckett in 1961. There are three component parts: Opener, Voice and Music. Opener (Daniel Reardon) is a kind of overseer controlling when we hear the other two parts; Voice (Andrew Bennett) is a creator who is struggling to finish something so that he can finally sleep and rest; Music (by Jimmy Eadie) creates atmosphere and gives an emotional response to the words. 

In this presentation from Irish company Pan Pan Theatre, participants are provided with long, black hooded cloaks, headphones and a recording of the play. The audience is then instructed to remain in single file, hoods up, while they follow the feet of the person in front, preferably with their heads down. We are led from Jermyn Street Theatre on a stately walk around the surrounding roads of St James’s while listening to the recording – much to the perplexed amusement of the local populace. I have to admit to getting a fit of the giggles. It felt like we should all be striking ourselves with planks of wood, singing a Dies Irae. The walk itself is not strenuous and does not venture too far. There are some roads to cross, though, which interrupt the flow a bit. The weather behaved itself, luckily – I’m not sure how I would feel about wandering around in a thunderstorm. 

The cloak and headphones are comfortable, and the technology works well with a good sound.  Bennett has a deep, rich voice that contrasts well with Reardon’s slightly more controlled delivery.  They both convey the emotion and frustration contained within Beckett’s text, and when Eadie’s eerie and atmospheric music suddenly emerges, the tension is heightened even further. Some of the lines seemed to land at exactly the right time to get the full effect of the promenade: for example, Opener said “It’s in his head” just as a group of pedestrians were staring, obviously not understanding what was going on. The short sentences and single words, coupled with a slow, steady walk, make the whole thing kind of hypnotic. Unfortunately, dodging traffic, looking out for kerbs, listening to comments from bemused groups of builders, and other such mundane necessities meant there were just too many distractions to give the text the full concentration it deserved. 

Hats off to Pan Pan for creating an unusual and innovative way to experience the play. On the whole, although enjoyable, I think I would have preferred to listen to the recording at home in a comfortable chair with a glass of something. It is, however, ideal for an after-work outing pre or post (or both) pub. I imagine it would lead to some lively discussions.

Written by Samual Beckett
Directed by Gavin Quinn
Designer Aedin Cosgrove
Sound Design & Music by Jimmy Eadie

Cascando plays at The Jermyn Street Theatre until Saturday 13 September