Escaped Alone

Escaped Alone

BAM Harvey Theater

The Royal Court Theatre

February 23, 2017

Photo courtesy of Escaped Alone

Mind boggling.  Thought provoking.  Confusing.  Serious.  Metaphorical.  Abstract.  These are a few words that come to mind after seeing the Royal Court Theatre’s production of Caryl Churchill’s Escaped Alone at BAM Harvey Theater.  The rhythm and images in Ms. Churchill’s dialogue are riveting.  James Macdonald’s direction creates captivating moments for the four women in the cast.  The design team (Miriam Buether, scenic design; Peter Mumford, lighting design, and Christopher Shutt, sound design) juxtapose numerous technical elements that blur the line between the characters’ realities and fantasies within the world of the play.

Mrs. Jarrett (played by Linda Bassett) notices three women having tea through an open garden gate.  When invited in, she engages in light afternoon conversation that leads to darker revelations of the three women’s experiences.  None is darker than Mrs. Jarrett’s recollection of apocalyptic horror.

Photo courtesy of Escaped Alone

Linda Bassett is calm and matter of fact when she tells of the tales of human catastrophe.  Her demeanor and presence have an interesting blend of humor and terror.  June Watson grabs attention as Vi.  Her cordial tone smoothly transitions into a recollection of how she “accidentally” killed her husband with a kitchen knife.  Deborah Findlay portrays Sally as a socially pleasant woman, until her deep fear of cats dominates the conversation.  Kiki Markham plays Lena with equal duality.  These women are masters at creating realistic characters who have subliminally contrasting inner lives.

Photo courtesy of Escaped Alone

Escaped Alone communicates the strong sense of loneliness and fear that can lie beneath the façade of social pleasantry.  The complex layers of Caryl Churchill’s writing take time to digest and ponder.  It is certainly a well-produced play, which evokes deep thought in our present day reality.  This Royal Court Theatre production is playing at BAM Harvey Theater for a limited time (Feb. 15 – 26). 

Domenick Danza