The Dreadful Hours

Directed by Javier Marzan
Tmesis Theatre
Liverpool Everyman
11th-13th February 2010

Reviewed by Colin Serjent

Although this production was only one hour long, it seemed much longer.

This account of the disintegration of a relationship of a boring couple was yawn-inducing...

The set was sparse, containing a dinner table, two chairs, and - for reasons I could not understand - a set of differently shaped mirrors. Maybe they were there to symbolise reflections on love lost?

The unnamed pair - played by Yorgos Karamalegos and Elinor Randle - meet for the first time at a disco, then go on holiday together...all sweetness and light..have now reached a nadir in their feelings for each other, going through the motions of their coupling, so lost for conversation that they comment about the decor of the restuarant they are having a meal at.

Physical theatre is brought into play on several occasions, which looked silly at times, especially when they are both standing together on the table. I just wanted one of them to accidentally knock over one of the glasses to bring some fun to this drab, drab production.

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Comments:

Comment left by thedailysooth on 17th February, 2010 at 17:07
I too saw this show. They were not an un-named pair. They said their names on numerous occasions. Expect better from a professional review.

Comment left by ReallyHopeThisReviewerDoesn'tGetPaid on 10th September, 2010 at 10:49
"Physical theatre is brought into play on several occasions". What a startlingly observant and erudite writer you are. The second to last paragraph should be put forward for an award. A staggering achievment for a published piece, taking grammar and laziness to new lows. I would guess that the ellipsis in between are the points he fell asleep or was busy applying for grants to pay for photos of bins.

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