What is the logical end game of ‘cancel culture’ and digital pile-ons? In many ways, the ongoing culture wars indicate that society has barely moved on from villagers with pitchforks and crowds of cheering peasants at public executions. We might not be buying rocks to stone the condemned, instead, we’re doing it with clicks and retweets. Robert Boulton’s Snowflakes tackles this unsightly quirk of human nature with a dark satire that is gripping, provocative and grimly entertaining.
Dissident Theatre’s first production has elements of Sartre’s No Exit coursing through its veins. Three characters are holed up in a room together and the audience are invited to relish their discomforts and work out what brought them together in this way. ‘Hell is other people,’ the infamous quote from Jean-Paul’s play, could easily be applied to this modern dip into social media and the pursuit of justice and ‘closure’.
It would be churlish to discuss the plot as it involves some twists, and much of the suspense and discomfort stems from trying to work out what’s going on. Boulton’s bold narrative move is to drop the audience into what feels like Act II. This works a treat, as we are given just enough to be intrigued and perplexed, with a trail of clues and signposts to make the grisly denouement satisfying.
It’s an intimate space and an intense scenario. The three performers are equally excellent in making a dystopian concept totally believable. Henry Davis plays Tony, a liberal, cosmopolitan author caught up in a Twitter scandal. It’s a nuanced turn, as he seems both guilty and innocent of unspecified crimes but is never quite sympathetic. He’s the perfect sacrifice for a baying Twitter mob. Louise Hoare is Sarah, an apparently quixotic contract killer with a penchant for mind games. Marcus, a dry-witted sadistic murderer is played by the author, Robert Boulton. The dynamics between the three of them were never less than riveting.
Lighting Designer, Jonathan Chan makes symbolic but subtle moves, and the use of a digital screen was atmospheric and added authenticity, so props to Video Designer, Dan Light. Michael Cottrell’s direction is sharp and skilful. It’s quite a challenge to manage 3 actors in a small space and maintain the tension and momentum, but Snowflakes does that with ease.
Thankfully, Snowflakes isn’t questioning progressive politics, freedom of speech or offensive provocateurs being held accountable. At first, it feels like it might be heading in that direction but swerves the obvious and lands elsewhere. Instead, it queries our pursuit of ‘revenge’ on people who’re strangers and asks whether this ‘justice’ serves a cathartic purpose or reduces us to savages. It also holds a (black) mirror up to those who are the loudest and most vociferous in condemning others.
Snowflakes is at Park Theatre until 6th May, https://parktheatre.co.uk/whats-on/snowflakes
Reviewer: Stewart Who?
Reviewed: 18th April 2023
North West End UK Rating: ★★★★