Brace Brace – Royal Court

“A plane fell out of the sky, and we happened to be on it.”

That’s the fourteen-word, remarkably oversimplified synopsis of Oli Forsyth’s new play Brace Brace, brought to life in a startlingly intimate traverse staging at the Royal Court, directed by Daniel Raggett.

Having introduced themselves and their whirlwind love story to the audience, newlyweds Sylvia (Anjana Vasan) and Ray (Phil Dunster) explain how their honeymoon began with life-shattering tragedy: the plane they were flying on was taken over by a hijacker (Craige Els, who also portrays a young passenger’s father and the pilot).

If the unthinkable horror of believing you’re about to crash to your death from thousands of feet in the air wasn’t enough to fracture the couple, it’s the unique part they each play in the near disaster that sets them on two diverging paths that seem increasingly unlikely to meet again.

Sylvia’s quick decision to save the pilot in the cockpit rather than protect her husband — who is being choked by the hijacker — makes her the hero of the hour in the media, but the act leaves a sour taste in Ray’s mouth at home.

In the aftermath of the terror, Sylvia appears to be coping well and seems on the brink of moving on with her life — until it’s revealed to her that the hijacker has been freed after pleading paranoia. From here, she spirals into near mania, her inconsolable vengeance sending Ray further and further adrift.

Forsyth’s script, which is based on a personal experience, touches on victimhood, fear, and media influence, but it’s fundamentally about how no two people will process a traumatic event in the same way. It’s a compelling concept, but the plot loses its focus towards the end after conspiracy theories are introduced and Sylvia gets in contact with the deeply disturbed pilot.

With its trim 70-minute runtime, Brace Brace feels best placed to focus on the relationship between Ray and Sylvia in the wake of unthinkable tragedy rather than bring in more revelations about the hijacker that feel increasingly farfetched.

But while the script begins to sag near the end, Raggett’s direction and staging always soars. The depiction of the crash itself at the start of the show is utterly breathtaking, with the lighting and sound design joining forces with the elevated runway on-stage to create a truly immersive, consuming feeling of panic for the audience.

A special shoutout must go to Alex Payne and George Mann for their fight and movement direction, respectively, which is consistently sharp and takes full advantage of the space and traverse staging.

The performances bring extra light and shade to the script, with Vasan’s descent into frenzy offering a particular emotional highlight as she confronts feelings she can’t have possibly been prepared for. Dunster, meanwhile, embodies the likable, if sometimes unsympathetic, Ray with natural charm, but the ease with which the character dismisses Sylvia’s feelings at the end feels abrupt for a man who previously seemed so devoted.

This immaculately staged production of Brace Brace offers a thrilling visual spectacle, but Forsyth’s script could do with some reining in to sharpen its focus and offer a more intricate perspective of how a relationship can survive after unimaginable terror. Playing until 9th November, https://royalcourttheatre.com/whats-on/brace-brace/

Reviewed: Olivia Cox

Reviewed: 9th October 2024

North West End UK Rating: