Details
Location: Omnibus Theatre, Clapham
Date: 6th November - 24th November, 7:30 pm
Tickets: From £13 www.omnibus-clapham.org
Our Verdict
An interesting and updated adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe’s The Pit and the Pendulum, Christopher York’s interpretation of this classic tale as a one-woman show was first conceived for the Oxford-based Creation Theatre and features Afsaneh Debrouyeh in the lead role.
Moved from a prison cell of the Spanish Inquisition to a modern-day prison cell in Iran, the lead is reimagined as a feminist who has been imprisoned for acts of activism. Based on the true story of a woman jailed in Iran for removing her hijab in public, the adaptation aims to challenge the archetypes and assumptions we have of cultures. The lead actress is also credited with co-creation of the one-woman show’s lead, and her passion and affinity for her character is wholly evident throughout. The hour-long tour-de-force performance delivered by Dehrouyeh in the close quarters of this intimate space was captivating, and while the script was imaginative and engaging it is Dehrouyeh’s performance that really wows here.
With the juxtaposition of a minimalist stage setting paired with multimedia images and sound via headphones, this multi-sensory adaptation at times feels both intimate and removed. Edging into the territory of sensory overload with constantly flashing images, the bare bones of the other minimal props used and the entwining of the key beats of Poe’s original story with current events works well and it is an overall engaging experience - though a little preparation by revisiting the original story would not go amiss, as familiarity with the general premise is assumed here.
