8 Hours There and Back – Unity Theatre

It’s always fascinating to revisit a show further along in its journey. Two years after its work-in-progress sharing at the Unity, 8 Hours There and Back returns to kick off a UK tour, playing to a packed house. The production features new faces—Cal Connor, Olivia Lamb, and Rio Star as children navigating a world they don’t belong in, within a system that has forgotten them—along with some new creatives. Choreographer Adele Inglis infuses the movement with a Hip Hop-inspired vibe, but at its core, the show remains a moving and, at times, harrowing portrayal of the realities of life for children with a parent in prison.

This is unmistakably an All Things Considered Theatre production, bearing the distinct creative fingerprints of Sarah Hogarth and Emma Bramley. Deft comic moments prevent the tone from becoming overly maudlin, eliciting knowing laughs from the audience. Meanwhile, key facts are cleverly woven into mock quiz shows and children’s games, adding depth to the storytelling. The show’s episodic structure keeps the pace brisk as Ruby, Grace, and Jake try to blend in, stay out of trouble, and be “normal” under the shadow of an incarcerated parent.

Stephen Hull’s sound design stitches the scenes together, transporting us from midnight raids to cheesy quiz shows and endless school days, while Ellie Light’s set design evokes the boxes that “Miss Tie-Dye,” the children’s therapist, encourages them to lock their trauma away in. Connor, Lamb, and Star are highly engaging, seamlessly switching between characters and embodying Inglis’s choreography. It will be interesting to see how they settle into their roles, as this was the opening night, and the gear changes were slightly evident.

Charley Dunford’s lighting design is beautifully nuanced (despite a misbehaving spotlight!), although sometimes at the expense of visibility. The same can be said for Noel Jones’s projections: some, like the bus in the production image, are evocative, while others, such as scratchy tally marks to indicate the passing of time, verge on cliché.

All in all, this is a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of how a system created by adults is failing children—told powerfully in their own words.

Reviewer: Clare Chandler

Reviewed: 12th September 2024

North West End UK Rating: