Reviewed by Ella Atterton:
The production centred largely on ensemble work, though the cast was perfectly led by Charles Carnegie, as the protagonist Josef K. From the opening image of the entire cast lying asleep across the stage, it was clear that something was out of the ordinary in the world of the play. As the lights dimmed and K awoke, the audience were drawn into the state of frenzied nightmare.
The play seemed to have grown entirely from K’s bed-sit, as shown by the uniform blue pyjamas, and appeared to be a hazy parade of absurd scenarios. The actor’s use of the domestic objects that surrounded them to create events was commanding, and only helped to enhance the warped nature of K’s plight. This all added to the bizarre feel of the piece, and anyone who watched K apprehensively murmur into the ‘phone’ – which was in fact a teddy bear – could not help but be drawn in by the nightmare.
K’s search for answers leads him through a, which brought him into contact with strange hallucinations of outrageous characters: Juliette Casini as the engaging and authoritative Leni, Rose Richards as the dominant and yet frail Huld, and James Guinness as the doe-eyed Block, among many others. All the cast’s characterisations were flamboyant and colourful, and effectively added to the vivid, dream-like state.
It was clear that a tremendous amount of effort had gone into the piece, and credit should be given not only to the cast, but also to those in backstage roles, who were just as crucial in helping to create a spectacular play. Overall this was a fascinating piece, which was set apart by its cohesive ensemble and ambitious nature.