Snowflakes – Old Red Lion Theatre

A man awakes in a hotel room, unsure of how he arrived there. He is agitated, struggling to make sense of his situation when two strangers arrive with a deadly mission. The hotel door is locked, and it will stay locked until the job is done.

In Snowflakes, writer Robert Boulton presents a thought-provoking piece of theatre, exploring a number of issues that have been tackled in recent popular fiction, including programmes like Black Mirror and the Saw films. In a society where so many feel unjustly treated, where is the line between right and wrong, judgement and punishment and criminality? Who is the real ‘bad guy’, and how far will people go to see that justice is done?

If it’s not an entirely unique plot – I found the ending satisfying if not a little predictable – what really stood out for me was the writing. The dialogue is slick, pacey and funny, gradually revealing more about the characters and their stories, with enough detail to keep the audience interested but building slowly enough to keep the intrigue. The three characters are believable and three-dimensional, with each commanding the right level of the audience’s sympathy, support and distain. The chemistry between the cast is clear and makes for an engaging and emotive performance.

In Sarah and Marcus we see two distinct characters with different viewpoints pursuing a shared goal. Marcus relishes his role as a dispenser of justice and believes he is fighting the good fight for the disenfranchised masses while Sarah is more objective, taking a more balanced and empathetic stance. This is even evident in her costume – a fairly masculine top, shoes and trousers but with some gentle feminine touches such as jewellery and eyeshadow, displaying both sides of her personality. These differences develop further in the second act – Sarah’s discomfort becoming more apparent while Marcus gleefully finds his stride. Sarah stands stiff and uncomfortable, juxtaposed by Marcus who sits cross-legged, almost imp-like, savouring the drama. Throughout, Tony is convincingly distressed, desperate and angry and brings a level of pathos to a pretty dislikeable character. The acting here is really top notch with levels of passion and talent that could have filled a much bigger stage.

As for the stage itself, the static set makes use of some subtle but clever lighting to create something more than initially meets the eye. The penny dropped for me in the second act when I’m pretty sure I muttered “Ooo it’s a laptop” under my breath. Overall, I thought this was a superb production, clever premise, sharp dialogue, excellent performers. It runs at the Old Red Lion until 16th October and is well worth catching if you can. https://www.oldredliontheatre.co.uk/Snowflakes.html

Reviewer: Zoё Meeres

Reviewed: 30^th September 2021

North West End UK Rating: ★★★★