A dark exploration of one therapist’s own personal struggles with her mental health, Surfacing is a chilling play currently running at Omnibus Theatre until 1st June before going on to Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud until 8th June.
Disclaimer: I was gifted press tickets to the show in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Show: Surfacing
Book: Tom Powell
Director: Stephen Bailey
Venue: Omnibus Theatre
Runs until: 1st June at Omnibus Theatre, then 8th June in Guildford
Rating: ★★★★
Tom Powell is the writer behind Surfacing; Powell’s previous work The Silence and the Noise was a clear example of his talent as a writer for telling crucially honest stories full of emotion and Surfacing is no exception to this. A gorgeous script intertwines the cold reality of how mental illness can present, dark humour and a few true statistical facts about mental illness, the treatments and success for people via the NHS. With the current situation of more people than ever needing NHS mental health services, and said services being stretched thin and the impact of this on the staff…it feels like a very appropriate time for a play such as this to be staged.
The use of technology within Surfacing aids the show brilliantly. The use of captioning for the whole play ensures a degree of accessibility, and this is cleverly used not only for the spoken words by the cast both seen and unseen, but also for Luc’s internal monologue.
There’s a somewhat irony that in Surfacing, we see Luc, who is a therapist, have her own mental health decline throughout the performance. Under Bailey’s direction, Sarah Livingstone is fantastic as Luc displaying this ongoing decline in a way that feels honest and respectful. Her acting choices showcase Luc’s increase in erratic behaviour, panic and frantic desperation to fix everything. Her performance is emotive and heart-rending, and Livingstone does a stellar job at maintaining her energy as well as the audience’s attention for the duration of the piece.
Jerome Yates, who was recently seen in Driftwood plays multiple roles across the course of Surfacing, skillfully playing every role differently so it is clear they are different characters. Yates bouncing off Livingstone makes the duo really interesting to watch in the various different types of relationships we see between the two. However it is Yates as Owen, Luc’s patient, that is certainly his most interesting character to bear witness to. Whilst he is not on stage for a great deal of time, the time he is present is used wisely to show just a glimpse into the depth that Owen and his story holds.
It cannot be an easy feat to perform a play that is so relevant and sensitive, but Livingstone and Yates do so with such brilliant raw emotion. Furthermore, whilst Surfacing is a play with dark and complex themes, these are handled in a way that feels very respectful. The play is at times uncomfortable to watch, but in a way that is effective and fitting. This is aided by the small venue and cast, as it brings a real feel of intimacy to the piece, therefore emphasising the emotional impact. Surfacing is a clever way to show exactly why mental health services are just as crucial as those of physical health.
Surfacing is an intense, unique and creative play. The complex themes within the play are represented with such vulnerability, providing a haunting and poignant piece of theatre that remains in the mind even after leaving the theatre, an impact that cannot be understated.
You can book tickets for Surfacing here: https://www.omnibus-clapham.org/surfacing/
Please note: this show does cover dark themes. When going, make sure to read the trigger warnings on the website.
One Show at a Time 