Paul T Davies reviews Sap playing at Roundabout at Summerhall as part of the Edinburgh Festival 2022.
Sap
Roundabout at Summerhall
Edinburgh Fringe 2022
4 Stars
Billed as a contemporary thriller with ancient roots, Rafaella Marcus's powerful script is, indeed, rooted in myth and nature, contrasting with urban ugliness and violence. When a woman tells a lie to her girlfriend a seed is planted, one that brings disturbing, animalistic behaviour to her door.
The piece is superbly performed by Jessica Clarke and Rebecca Banatvolo, and at times it feels as if the script pays homage to Fleabag, cheeky asides, glances that tell truths, heartbreak. The pacing is excellent, and the subject matter connected with so many in the audience. Changes of tone are handled delicately and the emotional content is deep.
Played on a shiny surface, the actors themselves are reflected and rooted into the stage, the poetry of nature encompasses the auditorium. A confident, funny, disturbing and unsettling play well worth your Fringe time. It's also her debut play, and what a future this writer has!
Aug 14-15, 17-22, 24-28
Paul is a playwright, director, actor, academic, (he has a PhD from the University of East Anglia), teacher and theatre reviewer! His plays include Living with Luke, (UK tour 2016), Play Something, (Edinburgh Festival Fringe/Drayton Arms Theatre, London 2018), , (2019), and now The Miner’s Crow, which won the inaugural Artist’s Pick of the Fringe Award at the first ever Colchester Fringe Festival 2021. In lockdown 2020 he created the audio series Isolation Alan, available on Youtube, and performed online in the Voice Box Festival. He is the founder member of Stage Write, a Colchester based theatre company, and his acting roles include Rupert in How We Love by Annette Brook, first performed at the Vaults Festival 2020 and revived at the Arcola and at Theatre Peckham in 2021. Follow: @stagewrite_
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