by guest critic Meredith Jones Russell
Princess the dog is pregnant, and someone needs to stay in to look after her, but father Bo, mother Boo and daughter Pickle all want to go out.
So far, so straightforward, you might think. But the chaos that follows in One Green Bottle, including but by no means limited to a chair through a TV set, a key down a toilet, Mickey Mouse, a disembowelled sheep and an awful lot of chains, might suggest otherwise.
“One of the first things that struck me about Arts Depot’s main theatre is how comfortable the seats are…It may seem trivial, but after seeing numerous productions in hot pub theatres on benches with straight backs…comfort does become important. The set was austere: two screen printed flats placed at a right angle showing the shelves of a modern convenience store and a small screen above for the projected surtitles…
“We quickly meet the two main characters. These young men work at the convenience store…Whilst there is no traditional narrative structure, we see snapshots of shop life…The absurdity of this corporate environment is obvious and makes me shudder to think how easy it is to be sucked in as a young person seeking purpose…
“This same absurdity comes through in the customers, we see one young woman who, upon discovering her favourite ice cream has been discontinued, has a meltdown…It is an existence of small tragedies, self-importance and the need to cling onto any kind of meaning in a cold, corporate world.
“Whilst the dialogue in the play tends to realism, the movement is abstract, expressionist and constant. It is mostly light and flowing; resembling tai chi…it loses meaning quickly and can be distracting…
“…It is a good piece of physical theatre and an excellent ambassador for the LIFT Festival.”
The Play's The Thing UK 