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» The Sea at Night

image The Sea at Night

“I didn't even know you could long for anything.”

The quote alone, suggests a play with a melancholy tone. As I walked to Hackney Empire, in the beautiful sun, feeling joyous and warm, because my body was bathed in sunlight; my mood altered as I took my seat and viewed the set of The Sea At Night. The dilapidated kitchen only symbolised by a table, chair, saucepan and kettle; appeared grey, dirty and lifeless. However, the row of five actors sitting at the back of the stage in the kitchen, staring rather longingly into the audience as we filtered through was intriguing. I waited anxiously wondering what their part in the play was. What significance they had to the woman across the other side of the stage, sitting with her back to the audience staring out of the set window.

A wave of disappointed passed through me after the sound of the ocean, and women humming softly came to fade. Suddenly the stage was quiet, void of human sound, only the loud hum of the speaker could be heard; a soundtrack that was to accompany the play for its 30 minutes duration. Yes, the play was only 30 minutes long, and it was a work in progress; something I was unaware of. This fact, made me view the play differently and refrain from criticizing it too much. The play encapsulated the idea of desire and longing for something more; emotions that we are all familiar with.

The kitchen became home to the sea and a canvas on which the lead characters -husband and wife - Peppe and Estella painted their emotional relationship; where debates about returning to their homeland of Italy became a source of argument. The simplicity of the set ran paradoxically with the complicated, emotional rollercoaster that Estella seemed to battle with in her head. The appearance of her estranged daughter and granddaughter left me wondering whether the presence was an ongoing battle of conscience in her head or a genuine encounter; as the subject of her daughter caused tension in the marriage. It was clear her daughter was the result of a teenage union that she was keen to forget.

As much as the direction of the play was to ensue was clear, it failed because it seemed as though there was something missing. It appeared stagnant and in some parts confusing; as though there were off stage scenes. Clearly the play is unfinished, but I am not sure whether I have seen enough to make me return to see the final production. Disparagingly one actor was reading from his script, which was distracting and made him over dramatize his words, as if to draw attention away from his script.

Credit is due to the lead character Estella whose character was convincing, as I was made to feel her confused and distant self which made her alone engaging. Hopefully if the production is finished and made available to the public, the other characters will have bigger roles, and aspects of the play are clarified.

Written By Rachel Charles

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